Home
by BeyondDegree
Summary: Takes place after the season 3 finale. The Losties thought they were finally going to be rescued but fate had different plans... Lots of Jack/Kate but I like to stay true to Lost, so the other characters are involved as well.
1. Confessions

**Hey! I finally figured out how to do this! Ok, so I was writing this story about a year and a half ago on Lost-forum but things happened and I wasn't able to continue it until now. Of course I've changed things up a bit but not too much... I found this site and I thought I would give it a go on here and see if people like it. So yeah, I hope you enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Lost but the people that do are sooo Awesome!**

**Rated T for violence mainly.**

Chapter 1: Confessions

Jack's arm dropped to his side with Naomi's radio/communication device still in his hand. He looked around at all the excited and smiling faces of his fellow survivors, jumping up and down and laughing.

_Is this real_? Jack watched as Sun and Rose hugged each other, as Claire kissed baby Aaron and whispered something in his ear, as Steve high-fived another one of the happy castaways. _Or is this just another dream, like so many other ones I've had while on this island? _After over 90 days of running from "monsters" made of smoke, living in an underground hatch with a button that had to be pressed every 108 minutes, then being captured by the creepy Others and forced to do surgery on their leader. Jack was finally going back to the real world. Finally going home.

Home. Jack had almost forgotten where his home was, his real home, his first home. For so long now they had all referred to this island, the beach, as home.  
Jack glanced over at the dead body of Naomi. _What had gotten into Locke? Where is he now?_ He walked over to the body and knelt down beside it, "Thank you for your help." He said. He grabbed his pack from off of his back and opened it up. He had a couple extra shirts placed in there and the walkie talkie he had taken from Ben. He took one of the shirts out and placed it over Naomi's head and wound. No one wanted to see that, especially not right now.

_Will I ever see these people again_? Jack stood back up and glanced over to where Kate was hugging a tearful Sun in her arms. _Will I ever see Kate again?_ Kate caught him staring at her and smiled back at him.

Just a few hours ago Jack had confessed his true feelings for Kate. _Does she love me back_? _Or does her heart truly belong to Sawyer instead_? He couldn't tell. The way she looked at him sometimes, the way she smiled in Jack's presence, the way she had kissed him… He was sure she loved him. _But then why had she chosen Sawyer_?  
Jack broke away from her gaze and turned away. He couldn't stand the thought of those two together anymore. The sight of them together… It repulsed him.  
_Will they leave the island together?_

Jack couldn't stand the thought of losing Kate anymore. He needed some time to himself. Some time to gather his thoughts.

Kate watched as Jack turned from her and walked away with a clouded expression over his face. _What's gotten into him_? Even as she thought those words she knew it was because of her. Was he thinking the same thing she was?

Would she ever see Jack Shepherd again? The heroic doctor who had saved her life so many times; the man who had won her heart the first time they'd met, but he didn't know it. She couldn't bear the thought of never seeing him again. She hated to admit it but she needed him in her life.

"Kate? Did you hear me?" Sun's voice broke through her thoughts as Kate brought her eyes away from Jack's body disappearing behind the tall trees of the jungle.

"What?"

"I was wondering if Jack is going to let the others on the beach know that we've made contact. He still has the walkie talkie that he took from Ben. I would really love to share this excitement with my husband."

"I'll go find out for you." Kate said and headed in the direction Jack had gone. She was not only going to talk to him for Sun, but also for herself. It was about time she told him how she really felt.

"And, Kate," Sun called, "You'll be able to know if Sawyer is all right too."  
Kate ignored that last comment from her friend as she kept walking. She could really care less right now about James Ford.

Kate was about to go into a jog when she was stopped by Claire.

"Kate, can you believe this is happening?" Claire smiled as she held a sleeping Aaron in her arms.

"It's like a dream." Kate tried to smile. She was going to lose him.

"Do you think Charlie really did it? Do you think it was really him who got the radio to work?"

"I'm not sure." _Jack, where did you go?_

"I just hope he gets back safe and before the rescue gets here."

"I'm sure he'll be fine." _What if I can't find him?_

"It's going to be a little weird though…Being back home and all."

"Huh?" Kate hadn't heard a thing Claire was saying. She was too busy thinking about what she would say to Jack when and if she caught up to him.

"Are you listening to me, Kate?" Claire asked, her head cocked to one side in confusion.

"I'm sorry. My mind is kind of jumping all over the place right now. I guess I'm just a little overwhelmed from all the excitement."

"Oh, well I understand."

"I think I need some time to adjust to all this. I promise we can talk later though." Kate smiled and hugged the small Australian women, trying not to disturb the sleeping baby in the process.

"Just think, soon we'll finally be rid of this horrible place." Claire said.

"Yeah." _Just think_.

Kate hurried towards the trees and disappeared behind them.

As soon as Kate emerged through the shrubbery, she heard running water ahead and decided to proceed towards it. Immediately Kate saw Jack crouched over a small stream. His shirt was off and he was soaking it in the water. She could see the scar she had stitched up on him the first night of the crash. It was healing quite well. The shirt in his hands had been covered in sweat and blood, Ben's blood. She watched as he twisted the shirt until it was only damp, then he placed it on a rock beside him and pulled out a clean shirt from his bag.

Kate stood behind a tree, not sure whether she should go to him or turn back. She remembered a time when she had caught Jack watching her through the trees while she collected seeds for Sun's garden. It hadn't bothered her. She actually liked the feeling of him being close by. It was reassuring.

Jack pulled the clean shirt over his head and turned around. He knew Kate was there. He knew she would follow him. She never did get the hint when he didn't want her too. _Maybe I do want her here this time though…_

"Kate, you can come out." Jack called.

He watched as she slowly stepped out from behind the tree.

She brushed a strand of wavy brown hair from her face and looked at him sheepishly, "You knew I was there." She took a step toward him then stopped.

Jack nodded; "You don't need to spy on me." He smiled.

"Now _I'm_ the spy?" She smirked, feeling a little more at ease once he had smiled and joked around with her.

"We're even now." He chuckled.

There was an awkward silence that followed as Jack walked over to his damp shirt that he had left on a rock and picked it up. He strolled over to a fallen log near the bank and sat down. Kate sat down beside him and looked down at the water instead of at him.

"It's weird," Jack broke the silence that had enveloped them, "we're finally getting off this island… But yet part of me is really going to miss it."

"I know what you mean. I've gotten so used to it that I don't know what I'm going to do without it. Like the sounds of the ocean to help soothe me to sleep; or the smell of the leaves to calm my nerves; and of course the people that I have come to know as my friends and family."

Jack nodded in agreement, "Especially the people. Mainly one person for me." He confessed as he looked at her with those deep brown eyes.

Kate knew that last comment was directed to her, she just didn't know what to do next. She could already feel her face blushing as she tried to keep her cool. She wanted so badly to tell him the same thing but she couldn't even open her mouth. She just started at him, lost for words.

Jack's eyes diverted her stare again. She knew she had hurt him. She was about to say something when he spoke first.

"Do you love him, Kate?" She could tell he hated even asking that question.

"Who?" She knew who he was talking about but she needed more time to think. She did love Sawyer, but not in the same way she loved Jack.

"You know who." He was becoming irritated as he snapped the words.

_How do I explain it to him_?

"Jack, I-"

Suddenly a gush of wind swept over them, making Kate's hair fly in the air, and a loud sound was coming from overhead. It sounded like… A helicopter?

"The rescue!" Kate jumped up.  
They both looked at each other in stunned silence as they heard the loud machine landing by the tower.  
"Already?" Jack asked as he stood up beside her.

_It's obvious that she does love Sawyer…_ Jack thought as he started walking towards the copter sounds. He was tired of waiting for her to answer.

"Jack, wait!" Kate pleaded over the noise.

"It's time to go!" Jack shouted back.

As they got to the edge of the clearing, Jack looked up at the enormous black copter and noticed a familiar logo on it.

"Is that Dharma?" Kate asked from beside him.

Jack looked closer. _Why would Dharma be on a rescue helicopter?_

"Jack?"

Jack looked at Kate with no answer.

"Jack, I don't feel so good about this…"

"Neither do I."

Desmond hit the surface and gasped for air. He saw the small boat still afloat on the water and was surprised that the one eyed man hadn't destroyed it. He swam towards it, grabbed the edge of the boat and pulled himself up into it. Without even waiting to gather more than a few breaths, he began paddling the boat furiously. Whatever Charlie meant when he wrote on his hand, "Not Penny's boat" had to be awful. He had to warn the others before it was too late.

_Or is it already too late_? The thought made him paddle even faster. He didn't know if anyone would even be at the beach but it was the only place he could think of to go, so that was where he headed. Hopefully they were there and hopefully just them.

Lukas Dermont stepped out of the helicopter that had come to a complete stop now. He looked around at all the confused faces before him. _The Hostiles?_ They didn't really look like the hostiles, the people that had overtaken their home and killed his parents many years ago. Wait… The man that he had talked to said they were survivors of a plane crash… _But are they really?_

Cainin and Dawson, his right hand men, stepped out on either side of him. They held their guns and waited for an order. They had long awaited this day with as much anticipation as him. Now they were finally here and ready for revenge.

There were about thirty people staring at them with bewildered looks upon their faces. He decided he'd better speak, "Where is Naomi?"

No one answered him or even made eye contact. Something happened to her, he could feel it. Then he noticed a body lying off to the side with something covering the head. _Naomi_? He walked towards it and knelt down. Someone had laid their shirt over top of it. He removed it and saw the knife in her back right away. She hadn't been dead for long. He turned the body over… It was Naomi all right. They had killed her.  
Lukas was angry now. He didn't care if these people were the hostiles or not, they had killed one of his own.

"Naomi!" Dawson ran towards the body and cried in fury. "This is your fault!" He pointed at Lukas. "You knew this could be dangerous but you sent her anyway!"

"Control yourself!" Lukas demanded.

Dawson knew better than to argue with his commander and shut up right away.

"Who is in charge here?" Lukas shouted.

"A-are you here to rescue us?" A young blonde woman with an infant in her arms asked in an accent.  
"Who is in charge?" Lukas yelled.

"Jack, we have to do something. I don't think they're here to rescue us." Kate whispered from Jack's right.

"I know."

Jack had been watching as the tall man with blonde hair and combat boots stepped foot out of the helicopter. His face had a long scar down the left cheek and he did not seem happy at all to see Naomi dead. _Are they from Dharma_? He couldn't tell. The other two that had come out with him held guns. _What are we dealing with here_?

"Stay here." Jack told Kate as he stepped out from behind the trees.

"Jack, what are you going to do?" Kate grabbed his arm but he pulled away and kept walking.

"Who is in charge? Who did this?" Lukas tried to keep his cool but he was losing patience.

"Are you from Dharma?"

Lukas turned around to see a man in about his late thirties walking towards him.

"Who are you?" Lukas asked.

"What do you want with us?" The man kept walking.

"Are you the one in charge?"

"I am the one you spoke with. Are you here to save us or not?"

"Did you kill her?" Lukas asked. He could tell Dawson wanted to pounce on this guy. He held his hand out to tell him to stay calm. The small man stayed still but held his gun tight and glared.

"No, I did not kill her."

"He's lying!" Dawson yelled and pointed his gun at the man.

"Hey, I did not kill Naomi! She was trying to help us. Who are you people?" The man shouted as he held up his hands in surrender.

"How am I to believe that you people are from a plane crash?" Lukas challenged.

"Oceanic Flight 815." Someone said from behind him.

"815?" Cainin walked over, his bald head glowing in the sun. "Those people are all dead."

"We're right here. Our plane crashed on September 22."

"They're lying!" Dawson screamed. "He killed Naomi!" He ran up to Jack and pointed the gun in his face. "Tell the truth or I'll kill you!"

"Dawson, put the gun down now, that is an order!" Lukas yelled.

"He did it! He killed her!"

Kate watched with horror as the man called Dawson pointed a gun to Jack's face. She couldn't just stand back and let these people kill him. She had to do something quick.

"Look, just calm down. Please listen to me." Jack tried to reason with these men.

"Just tell me that you did it!" Dawson yelled, sweat pouring down his face.

"Dawson, I command you to listen to me. We will settle this in a different way." The man in charge said.

"These people killed our families, stole our homes, and now just killed the love of my life! How can you even speak of another way to deal with them, Lukas? They deserve death! He deserves to die for what he has done!"

Dawson was about to pull the trigger when Kate came running out of the jungle, "Don't kill him!"

"Kate, no!" Jack yelled.

"He's telling the truth! We are the survivors of a plane crash, and Jack did not kill Naomi!"

"They are all lying! They're the Hostiles!" Exclaimed Dawson, his gun still pointed at Jack's head.

"If we were them, then why would we be trying to get rescued off this island?" Jack asked.

"Dawson, I will not tell you again. Lower your weapon and step back!" Lukas ordered. He was becoming very irritated.

Dawson looked at Jack and scowled. He looked back at the man in charge, hesitated, and then he finally lowered the gun and did what he was told.

Jack let out a sigh of relief and looked back at Kate who stood a few feet away from him.

"Dawson, go back and call the others. Tell them to get over here immediately." Lukas told the short man with dark hair who listened and ran back to the copter.

"What are we going to do with them?" Cainin gestured towards the thirty people all standing around with fear in their eyes.

"Question them. I want to know everything."

"And him?" He pointed towards Jack.

"Take him to the helicopter. I'll deal with him myself."

"No!" Kate yelled.

"Kate!" Jack gave her a look that said "be quiet".

Lukas looked at the man and woman and grinned, "Actually, Cainin, take her too. I have a feeling that if we want answers we'll need the two of them together."

**Ok, so that's the end of Chapter 1. I hope you liked it. Please let me know what you think. Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	2. Who are You People?

**Wow!! What a crazy weekend I've had!! My band auditioned for this talent/world competition thing and now we're going to Hollywood in July!!! I am so excited and so happy that I thought I would be nice and update already! Plus, I really thank you so much for the reviews!! I hope you enjoy the next chapter! Excpet, it's a shorter one because leaving it off where I did was a good spot... In my opinion anyway... So yeah, here it is...**

Chapter 2

Who are you people?

"Stay put and no talking." The tall man ordered Jack and Kate as they were placed in the helicopter with their hands bound by rope. They sat in the back on one of the benches that sat across from each other.

Kate looked at Jack apologetically. She knew they were going to use her to get to him, and she knew that it would not be pretty especially since Jack really was telling the truth.

"What are we going to do with the rest of them? What if they try to get away?" Dawson asked his leader at the door.

"Tell them that if they don't listen, you'll shoot them. Make sure you and Cainin keep them in order until the others arrive. They should be here soon."

"And these two?" Dawson glared at Jack.

"Leave that to me. Now go."

Dawson left the helicopter, closing the door behind him with a slam.

"Who are you people?" Jack asked right away.

"You're the Hostiles, you should know." Lukas sat down on the seat across from them and set his pistol by his side.

"We are not them!" Jack said, disgusted at being referred to as those animals.

"So you know who I am referring to then?" Lukas leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and listened intently.

"If you're talking about the people who terrorized us these last few months, then yeah."

"Terrorized you how?"

"Capturing us, lying to us, killing some of our own… The list goes on."

"Are you from Dharma?" Lukas asked, very interested to know.

Jack let out a deep sigh, "No. I have told you already who we are and where we are from. Our plane crashed on September 22, it was flying from Sydney, Australia to Los Angeles. We have been stuck here for over 3 months."

"Why do you insist on lying to me?" Lukas sat up and leaned back, annoyed, as he rubbed his temples with his pointer fingers.

"We're not lying!" Kate said.

"You, shut up!" Lukas shot forward and growled at her. "Now tell the truth!" He pointed his gun at Jack.

"I am."

"No, you're not! You are the hostiles! You killed Naomi, and you killed my family!" He was screaming like a mad man now.

"Locke killed Naomi, not Jack!" Kate shouted back at him.

"Who is Locke?" He hesitated for a second.

"Locke is another survivor just like us, except he does not want to be rescued, unlike the rest of us who do." Jack scowled at the thought of the man. He was the reason they were in this mess right now.

"Is he out there with the others right now?" Lukas asked glancing out a side window.

"No," Jack sighed, "he's gone."

"You are lying again!"

Jack didn't even bother saying another word. Anything he said just made things worse anyway. No matter what, this man would say he was lying.

"Oh, so now you're not going to talk?" Lukas twirled the gun in his hand.

"Anything he says, you'll just accuse him of lying." Kate snapped.

"Fine. If you won't tell the truth," Lukas aimed the gun at Kate's left leg, "then I guess I'll just have to make a hole in your girlfriend's leg."

"He's telling the truth!" Kate yelled, fearing for her leg.

Lukas' hand shot forward and slapped Kate in the face, "I said to shut up!"

At that, Jack leaned back against the seat, raised his feet in the air and kicked the pistol out of the man's hand, then he charged forward and head butted him, knocking him out.

"Kate, the gun!" Jack whispered harshly.

Kate picked up the gun with her tied up hands and handed it to him, "What are we going to do?"

"See if you can find a knife around here."

Kate searched the floor and the seats then found a switch blade and popped it open, "Found one!"

"Ok, untie me, hurry."

Kate freed his hands and he did the same for her. She pocketed the knife and looked at the unconscious man lying on the seat, "We better hurry. He won't be out long."

"You okay?" Jack asked before opening the door. He was staring at her red cheek.

"I'll be fine." She nodded.

"Then let's go." Jack opened the door cautiously and peeked out.

"Jack, we only have one gun and they have two, shot guns might I add."

"Well we have to do something."

"They'll kill us before we get the chance."

"Stop, you Hostiles!" A deep voice barked from behind. Lukas was awake.

"Kate, get out now!" Jack shoved Kate forward and she jumped out the door.

Jack looked back just in time to block a blow from the big man as he lunged at him with his fist, "You thought you could escape, huh?" He chuckled and wiped the blood from his mouth.

"We are not who you think we are!" Jack ducked from another fist coming at him.

"Yeah, you're ghosts of plane crash survivors." He said sarcastically.

Jack took a hard punch in the gut and wrenched over in pain, "Aahh!"

"Ha!"

Suddenly Jack pounced at him, knocking them both out the helicopter door and on the ground. Jack punched him once, twice, three times until his nose bled and his eye swelled. He then realized his surroundings. He looked up and everyone was staring at them in horror.

"Jack!" Kate screamed from behind as he looked over and saw that Dawson had his gun aimed at him. He got up and bolted out of the way just as he shot it. The bullet bounced off the copter with a loud _clang_.

"Kate, run!" Jack yelled as he grabbed her hand and started sprinting towards the forest.

Dawson and Cainin shot at them multiple times as they chased after them, each time missing. Kate felt one fly right by her head as she ran by Jack's side. They hit the forest instantly and kept on running, bullets flying everywhere.

"Jack, they're gaining on us!"

"Keep going!" He held her hand tight as they darted past trees and jumped over fallen logs.

They reached the stream and Kate yelled, "Wait, your backpack!" Kate saw the pack that Jack had left behind on the rocks.

"We don't have time. Leave it!" Jack shouted. They could hear them coming.

"The radio you took from Ben is in it!" Kate said out of breath as she yanked it off the rocks and hurried towards him.

"Good thinking!" Jack grabbed the pack from her hands and slung it over his shoulder.

"You two better just give up!" Dawson's voice yelled. They were close.

"Go!" Jack yelled.

Kate got the hint and took off running again, this time with Jack behind her.

Jack was tired of running. They had been running for what seemed like forever and his lungs felt like they were about to explode. He looked around for any place that they could hide before the men caught up to them.

"Jack!" Kate grabbed his arm and pointed towards a giant tree with large over hanging branches. It was like they had the same brain as he nodded and they hurried towards it. It was a tight squeeze but they managed to fit.

"We've lost them." The skinny bald man said to Dawson as they came into sight, guns extended.

"Just look around. They're here somewhere." Dawson snapped as he searched the area.

"Why don't we just go back?"

"We can't just let these murderers get away!" Dawson turned to face his partner.

"What if they are telling the truth…?"

"You said so yourself that all those people from that airline, Oceanic... 8...1...Something, are all dead."

"But their stories seemed so real when I talked to them. The names they told me…"

"People lie. They lie."

"They all said that some guy named John Locke killed Naomi, not that Jack guy."

"And did you see this Locke character anywhere?"

"Well, no… But-"

"I bet this Jack is their leader and they're all just defending him!"

"They all had the exact same story, Daws-"

"Just shut up!" Dawson shot him a nasty look. "And keep looking!"

Jack could feel Kate breathing on his neck as she inhaled in and out, still trying to regain her breath. They were so close that her body was pressed up against his side. It reminded him of the time they had been caught in Rousseau's net. He would never forget how close they were that time and how he had desperately wanted to kiss her.

Jack's thoughts were suddenly broken as they both stopped breathing and peered out the small opening of their hiding place. Dawson was inching towards it slowly, his gun pointed directly at them. _Bleep!_ Dawson stopped. _Bleep!_ His jacket was beeping. _Bleep!_

"Are you going to answer that?" Cainin asked, annoyed.

_Bleep!_ Dawson cursed under his breath then dug into his jacket pocket and took out a small black radio. _Bleep!_ He turned a switch and Lukas' voice came over it,

"Dawson!"

"Yeah." Dawson answered with a sigh.

"Where have you idiots been?" He was yelling.

"Still looking for the two that escaped."

"Leave them. Marcus and his team are here, so get your butts back!"

"We're right on their trail!" Dawson argued.

"I don't care! As long as we've got the others they can't do anything! Now get back here and no more arguing!" The radio beeped one more time as Lukas signed off.

Dawson cursed again as he pocketed the radio.

"Are we going?" Cainin asked.

"Do we have a choice?" Dawson snapped.

"Let's go then. I don't like it in here." Cainin eyed the jungle warily and then turned around and started walking back in the direction they came from.

Dawson took one glance at the giant tree then turned and followed, disappearing into the jungle once again.

Jack leapt out of behind the branches as soon as he knew they were gone and started walking the way the two men had left.

"Jack, where are you going?" Kate asked as she came out of behind the tree as well.

"We have to go back." He held the gun he had taken from Lukas in his hand and looked at her.

"That's your plan?" She gave him a "get serious" look. "You expect the two of us to go barging in there with one gun, and a knife and free 30 people? Were you even listening when he said that more of them have arrived?"

"Well what do we do then?" Jack raised his voice at her, even though he knew she was right.

"First, you should try and get a hold of Hurley again. Hopefully they're all still at the beach."

"Then what?"

"We get over there."

"Do you even know the way back?"

"It's worth a try, Jack. They have more guns with them and Sayid will know what we should do."

"Yeah because Sayid knows everything." Jack said sarcastically.

"What is wrong with you?" Kate stepped closer to him.

"This is my fault! I thought I was saving us, and again I messed it up. Who knows what that Lukas and his people could do to them… It's my fault!"

Kate placed her hand on his shoulder, "Jack, you didn't know. We were all in this together."

He looked away from her then dug into his back pack and pulled out Ben's talkie. "Let's get walking."

"Anything?" Sawyer asked Hurley as they both stood by the shore looking at the walkie talkie in Hurley's hand.

"Dude, you're standing right here, did you hear anything?"

"Well when is he going to call back?" Sawyer ran his fingers through his long hair and kicked the sand under his feet.

"Jack knows what he's doing. Just be patient." Juliet said as she came up beside Sawyer.

"Oh yeah, the Ol' Doc always knows what he's doing. I forgot._ He's_ the hero." Sawyer scoffed and looked out into the ocean.

"Jsbfhfbukdsjfk!" Jin exclaimed and pointed out in the distance at the blue water.

"What's he saying?" Bernard asked as they all looked where he was pointing.

"Something's out there!" Sawyer exclaimed.

"Is it the rescue?" Hurley asked, as he strained his eyes to see.

Sayid ran behind them and grabbed something off of one of the bodies Hurley had hit with the hippie van and returned.

"Do you see it?"

"What is it?"

"Are they here to rescue us?"

"Hbkjhgiregn?"

Everyone was asking questions all at the same time as Sayid peered out of a pair of old binoculars, "It's…" he couldn't believe what he was seeing, "it's Desmond!"

As the small boat containing a very tired Scottish man neared towards them, they all jumped up and down and ran towards him. Hurley had dropped the walkie talkie in the sand and had completely forgotten about it as Jack's voice yelled into the small black box, "Hurley? Hurley, are you there? Hello? Is anyone there? Hurley!"

**Ok, so there is another chapter of Home. I hope you liked it... Please, please Review because I really enjoy reading them. They make my day. =]**


	3. Fix It

**Ok... so I am thankful to the one person that at least reviewed... but where are the other reviews people? Reviews will help me update faster... and I really like getting them, even if you guys have suggestions for me or anything... Please Review. =] And here is the next chapter, so enjoy once again.**

**Chapter 3**

**Fix It**

"Hurley!" Jack screamed into the walkie talkie but there was still no answer.

"Do you think Lukas could've found them?" Kate asked, worried.

"I don't know." Jack dropped his arm and looked up at the sky peeking through the trees. The clouds were turning grey and moving fast.

"We can try again later." Kate said, trying to keep the mood positive, even though she felt like screaming out in frustration.

"Let's just keep moving." Jack turned off the talkie, not wanting to waste the batteries and kept walking in the direction they had been going.

"Get over there!" Lukas yelled as one of his men held a man from the Hostiles, who had tried to escape, by the shirt and shoved him back to the group. The man fell to the ground with a thud and held his hand on the back of his head where he had been hit by the butt of a gun. "Next time, you'll think twice before trying to get away," Lukas spat, "And that goes for all of you!"

He looked at the frightened faces of these people. An Asian woman had gone over and knelt down to attend to the man on the ground.

He and the men who had arrived with Marcus had tried to talk to these people, but no matter what, they all insisted on lying to them. Lukas was getting sick and tired of their lies.

"Lukas, they're back." Lukas turned around to face the tall black man, Marcus, his good friend since the tragedy.

"What?"

"Dawson and Cainin, they're back." Marcus pointed towards the two men exiting the jungle, looking worn out and filthy.

He waited until they had gotten closer to talk to them.

"Marcus." Cainin and Dawson nodded a hello as Marcus nodded back.

"What happened?" Cainin gestured towards the man who had tried escaping and the woman still trying to look after his wound.

"He tried to escape." Marcus said.

"Have any of them said anything about Naomi?" Asked Dawson.

"Nothing new. They all keep saying that this John Locke guy did it." Lukas spoke.

"Where is she?" Dawson noticed that the body was gone from the spot she had been laying on.

"We moved her. No one wants to look at a dead body." Marcus said.

Dawson stepped forward and snarled in Marcus' face, "No one touches her but me!"

"Calm down!" Lukas yelled.

"Where is she?" Dawson glared at them.

Marcus pointed towards the helicopter, "She's behind there, under a blanket."

Dawson immediately stepped back and walked over there, taking one more vicious look at Marcus.

"Desmond! It's so great to see you!" Hurley grabbed the tired and damp man in a giant bear hug.

"Where is Jack?" Desmond asked as Sayid handed him a bottle of water.

"At the French Chick's tower. We're just waiting for a-" Hurley stopped talking when he realized that something was wrong with this picture. "Uh… Where's Charlie?"

Jack turned on the small radio again as he and Kate stopped to drink some water. He held down a button on the side as he spoke into it, "Hello?"

Desmond looked at the six faces waiting patiently for an answer. _How do I tell them_? He took a long sip of the cold water; it felt great on his dry throat.

"Is Charlie all right?" Bernard asked.

Desmond let out a sorrowful sigh and looked at his feet, "Charlie is… He is…" he couldn't form the right words in his mouth. He felt like crying as he looked up into their eyes, "Umm… Charlie-"

"Hello?" Desmond quit talking when he heard a familiar voice speaking.

"Jack?" Desmond said.

"Charlie is Jack?" Sawyer asked, not amused.

"No, don't you hear that?"

"Hello! Anyone?" They all paused and listened as they heard the voice too.

"The radio!" Hurley shouted then turned and ran to a spot in the sand and picked up a small black object, "Jack?"

Jack almost leapt off the ground when he heard Hurley's voice reply, "Hurley! Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine."

"Has anyone shown up there?"

"Besides Desmond, no. Why? Is the rescue on its way?"

Jack paused for a moment to think, "Hurley, let me talk to Juliet. Is she still there?"

"Yeah, dude she's here. Is something wrong?"

"Just put her on."

"Why do you need to speak to her?" Kate asked from Jack's right, she didn't sound very happy.

"Jack?" Juliet's voice came over the radio.

"Are you all right?" Jack asked.

"I'm fine, we're all fine. You?"

Jack ignored her question, "Do your people know any man named Lukas?"

"_My_ people?" She sounded offended.

"Juliet!" Jack wasn't in the mood for this.

"Jack, what is going on?"

"Do you know anyone named Lukas?"

It was quiet for a second and then she spoke again, "No. I don't know that name at all." She was telling the truth.

"Look, I need everyone there to listen to me." Jack said.

"What is going on?"

"Just put Sayid or Hurley on."

"Jack?" Sayid's voice came on the radio.

"Sayid, get some guns and take everyone there to the caves immediately!"

"Is something wrong? How is the rescue supposed to find us there?"

"They're not."

It was quiet.

"What do you mean they're not?" Sawyer's voice yelled over the receiver.

"I can't explain it right now. These batteries are going to die soon. Just get to the caves and stay there!"

"Is everyone okay?" Sayid asked.

"Please, just listen to me!"

"Tell us what's going on, Jack!" Sawyer shouted.

Kate looked at him, "You have to tell them."

"Just get off the beach. And stay together. We'll be meeting you at the caves, I'll explain then."

"You and who?"

There was a struggle on the other end and then Desmond's voice came over shouting and speaking very fast, "Jack! What happened? Who was it? Who were Naomi's people?"

"Desmond?"

"Jack, is everyone all right?"

"Just do what I said and don't forget the guns! Hurry!" Jack shut off the talkie and looked up at the sky. It did not look pleasant.

"Jack!" Kate looked at him, shocked. "Why did you do that?"

"The batteries are going to die."

"They need to know what happened!"

"Not yet." He started walking.

Kate grabbed his arm and turned him around, "What is your problem?"

He looked at her and then looked away, "Let's just keep going. We have to hurry."

"Jack!"

"Let's keep moving!"

Suddenly hard rain started pouring down on their heads.

"Oh, this just makes things a whole lot better!" Kate shouted.

"You can still find the way can't you?"

"Yeah I can, but it's going to take a little longer."

"Then let's keep walking."

"Jack," Kate looked at him, "tell me what's wrong."

He looked down at the ground then back at her, "It's not fun." He paused. "I didn't even want to be _this_; I didn't want to be their leader. Everyone looks to me for the answers, for the directions. I can't handle it anymore. When something goes wrong, it's always _my_ job to fix it."

Kate watched Jack as he stood getting drenched in the cold rain. She couldn't tell if he was crying or not because it was pouring down so hard, but she could feel his pain. She wanted to comfort him, to say something but she didn't know what.

"I don't know how I'm going to fix it this time…" Jack said.

"Let's just keep moving before it gets dark." Kate spoke. It was the only thing she could think of to say to him at the moment, since she really had no idea of how to respond to that.

"Yeah." Jack nodded and they both started walking again.

Jack glanced up at Kate as she walked in front of him through the rain. The rain had let up a bit in the last hour but it still kept coming down. Kate had hardly said a word to him the whole time they had been walking. Jack wasn't even sure if they were going the right way or not.

_Is she mad at me_? _Why won't she look at me_?

Jack watched as she stopped and tied her wet hair up into a bun on top if her head. They had known each other for just over thee months now and he really didn't know anything about her._ Who is Kate Austen? What is it that she did? Is she really a ruthless murderer? No. I can't believe that. I won't believe that. Not Kate._

Kate started walking again.

_Should I say something_? _I hate this silence between us_!

Jack was about to speak when the rain stopped pouring down. Jack looked up at the sky, it was still gloomy but at least it was quiet now.

"Kate."

Kate peered up at the cloudy sky. It would be night soon. She didn't know how much longer it would take them to get to the caves. A part of her wished they didn't have to go there. She couldn't stand thinking how they would react to the news. _Jin and Bernard both have wives back there with those men…_

"Kate." Kate heard Jack's voice call her name. She wasn't sure if she should turn around right away, or pretend she hadn't heard him. Pretending would give her a little more time to think. _Say my name again. Please talk to me._

_Is she ignoring me_? Jack felt his heart stop for a second when she hadn't responded. _Maybe she didn't hear me_? _Should I try again_? Jack stood there for a moment as she kept walking ahead. _I have to talk to her_. He jogged up behind Kate and lightly placed his hand on her shoulder, "Kate."

Kate felt his strong hand on her shoulder as he said her name again. She was about to turn around when something in the distance caught her eye. Something black. _What_? Kate blinked a couple of times and looked again. It was still there. _It's back_! The black horse from her past stood, staring at her. The last time Kate had seen the animal was the day she had kissed Jack, the day she thought she was going crazy on this island, the day she almost regretted.

"Kate?" Jack stepped in front of her. "Are you ignoring me on purpose?"  
She didn't look at him; her eyes were still on the mysterious creature. _Doesn't Jack see it_?

"Kate? What are you looking at?"

All of a sudden the horse spun around and took off running. Without thinking Kate shoved past Jack and sped off after it.

"Kate!" Jack called but she couldn't turn around.

**So, again, I really hope you liked it. And please review... The more the merrier and I'll update sooner... *wink wink***


	4. Afraid

**Only 4 reviews...? Is it that bad? Well here's the next chapter anyway... Please R&R, I would feel so much better. **

**Chapter 4**

**Afraid**

"How long do we have to wait here before Jack shows up?" Sawyer asked, annoyed that they had to sit around at the caves instead of at the beach. He had put up a huge stink about the whole thing.

"I don't know. The radio must have died before Jack could explain anything more." Sayid said as he held his water bottle under the waterfall.

"Or he just shut it off so that he wouldn't have to explain."

"Why would Jack do that?" Juliet asked, giving Sawyer an evil glare.

"Because maybe Ol' Jacko is lying about the whole thing." He shot her his 'you know you want me' look and smirked.

"Jack wouldn't do that."

"How do we know, little Miss. Sunshine?" Sawyer sneered. He leaned against one of the cave walls and crossed his arms. "Maybe there was a rescue but they didn't have enough room for us, so Jack had to make up a story to make us come here. That way they can all be on their merry way back to civilization."

"You actually think that low of Jack?" Juliet walked towards him.

"And you actually think that highly of him?" He stood straight, only inches from her face.

"Who is the one that has helped you survive all this time on the island?"

"Not Jack, that's for sure! He was the reason I was taken by _your_ people!"

"He was the reason you were able to escape _my_ people!" They were both in each others faces now.

"Enough!" Sayid yelled. They all looked at the soldier from Iraq. "This is no time to be arguing about whether Jack is a hero or not."

"Jack was right," Desmond stepped up from behind Sayid.

"Right about what?" Sawyer asked, not really caring.

"There was no rescue. Naomi was lying."

"And how do you know this?" Sayid asked.

Desmond looked at them all, sweat pouring down his face, "There is something I need to tell you. Something I have been avoiding because I don't know exactly how to tell you…"

"If it means we'll know what the heck is go'n on around here, then spit it out." Sawyer demanded.

"It's about Charlie isn't it?" Hurley asked. He had been sitting by the pool of water. "Is he all right?"

Desmond looked at him and shook his head. He then began to tell them the events that had taken place in the underwater hatch.

Jack didn't know what to do. Kate had just taken off running. _Is she that mad at me_? He wasn't sure if he should go after her or not. _She could get hurt, or worse_! He decided to follow her in a mad dash. _What is she chasing? Or is she just trying to get away from me?_

Kate could hear Jack running behind her, calling her name, but she had to keep running. Something inside her could not let that horse get away. She didn't know why Jack couldn't see it but that didn't matter right now. She kept running, chasing after the black horse, needing to catch it. Suddenly she looked and it was gone. _What_? She searched the area she had just seen it in but it was nowhere in sight. _No_! Kate stood there and cried out, "No!" It had vanished so quickly.

_I'm going crazy again_… Kate dropped to her knees, not caring that she landed in mud, and sobbed openly into her fists.

"Kate?" Jack stopped when he saw her in the mud crying. He wasn't sure what he should do. He didn't know what had come over her. First she had run off without saying a word to him and now she was collapsed in the mud crying. _What if she was hurt_? He hadn't been that far behind her. _She couldn't be hurt_. He would have seen something happen.

Jack walked over to Kate and knelt down beside her, he put his arms around her and lifted her to her feet. She didn't even look at him but buried her face in his chest, still bawling. He held her tight, not saying anything, and never wanting to let go.

"You're sure about this?" Cooper asked over the communication device that Lukas held in his hand.

"I'm sure." Lukas said.

"We'll check it out…" he paused, "but what do we do if some of their people are there?"

"Bring them to the cliffs. We'll meet you there by morning."

"That long?"

"Do you want to try leading thirty people through the jungle at night with only thirteen guns?" Lukas snapped.

"Why not put them in the helicopters?"

"There are only six helicopters and five seats in each. Just do as I say and then contact me as soon as you find anything."

"Yes, sir."

"I put you in command of the ship for a reason. You better hope it wasn't a mistake, Coop."

"I won't," he was silent. Lukas was about to hang up when Cooper's voice came back on, "How did you get them to tell you that anyway? What if it's a trap? You said these people are smart and that they're liars…"

"I have my ways. If you do find anything from the wreckage like they say there is, let me know. These people could be telling the truth after all."

"And if they're not?"

"Then we kill them." Lukas scowled then turned off the radio.

He looked over to where Markus stood with the small blonde woman and her baby. He had threatened to harm them if nobody told him the truth. Of course there was always one spineless hero who had to stick up for a mother and her baby. The answer he received however was not what he had expected. His plan had still worked, as soon as they found out the truth; they could get to the killing.

He caught the woman glaring at him as she held her baby boy. Lukas just grinned back at her. He really had no intentions of hurting the woman, he wasn't that cruel. He actually thought she was very beautiful and he intended on making sure no harm came to her at all.

Cooper stood in front of a hundred men and women, the people who had been trained since the day he had lost his family to the wretched Hostiles. A few of them had been with him during the attack. They all felt the same thing towards the people that had stolen their homes and lives, hatred.

"What are the orders?" Stenson, one of the men in the front asked.

"Unload one of the boats. I and twelve other men will head west in the boat towards the island in search of a beach these 'so-called plane crash survivors' say they were living. The rest of you keep working. It won't be long until we finally have the island back."

The men all let out a roar of cheers.

"I will contact the rest of you here once we find anything and then Lukas wants us to head to the cliffs." Cooper noticed one of the men had stepped forward, Paiten was his name. He remembered him since the beginning. The boy had always been the quiet type, never to say much unless he was aked. He raised his arms and gave the signal for them to be silent. He then motioned his hand towards Paiten and nodded, "You have a question?"

"Well… Yes, sir," he was young. His blonde hair parted to one side covering one of his eyes, his right eye.

"Tell me, Paiten."

"What if these people really are who they say they are?"

"The survivors of Oceanic Flight 815?" He laughed. "Do you watch the news, boy? That plane was found with all the passengers dead."

"But if they are who they say they are, won't they be in a lot of trouble?"

"I believe they are all lying." More men shouted out in agreement.

"If they were lying, why would they tell us to go to their beach?"

Cooper was getting tired of arguing with the young man, "Look, if you are so sure that these people are telling the truth, then you can be one of the men who comes with me. Then we will see who is right and who is wrong."

Paiten didn't say another word as he stepped back and dipped his head.

Jack had been holding Kate for what seemed like forever when Kate finally decided she should say something. She didn't want to ruin this moment, having his comforting arms wrapped around her body was the best feeling she had felt in a long time, but this question needed to be answered. Kate looked up into his eyes; they were red with tears also. _Jack had been crying too_? He looked at her and smiled then gently wiped a stray tear from her eye.

"Jack, do you think I'm crazy?"

"Are you on the same island I'm on?" He still smiled.

"Then you saw it?" A surge of hope ran through her.

"Saw what?" He now looked confused.

Kate lowered her head and stepped out of his embrace, "Never mind."

"Kate?" Jack stepped towards her.

_Why hadn't he seen it_? _It was right there_! _How could he not_? _Am I crazy_? "Sawyer had seen it…" Before Kate realized that she had spoken out loud, she saw Jack's face fall.

"Sawyer?" He stumbled back a bit.

"No, Jack, it's not what you think." She reached out for his arm but he pulled away.

"Let's go. _Sawyer_ and the others are waiting for us." Jack said with a frown and started walking.

"Jack, wait." He shook his head and kept walking forward.

Kate was about to say something else when she heard something behind her. A sound she dreaded hearing every time. One that made her whole body freeze up and her stomach turn. It was the "Monster"…

Jack didn't know how close it was but that thing was coming towards them. He turned around and saw Kate standing there with fear in her eyes, "Kate!" He yelled. She looked at him but didn't budge.

Kate heard Jack call her but she couldn't move. _That thing is close by_! Her whole body shook as she looked into Jack's eyes. The noise came again, that deafening noise. It was louder this time.

"Kate run!" Jack yelled. He ran up beside her and yanked her off her feet as he pulled her by his side. "Let's go!"

Jack wasn't sure what had come over Kate, she usually would have bolted at the first sound of the "monster" but she had stood there like she was spellbound in a trance or something. They both ran through the trees, hoping that thing wouldn't find them. Jack had only seen it a couple times. Black smoke. He wasn't sure what it was but the image of that poor pilot was still imbedded in his head. Remembering that image made him run harder.

Rain started falling again as they kept running. Jack heard a grunt and looked back to see that Kate had fallen. He rushed back to her and saw that her foot was stuck in a hole. _Just great_!

"Jack! I can't move it!" Kate cried.

"Just hold still." Jack tried to pull it out but Kate screamed in agony.

"I think I did something to it!"

"We have to get it out!"

The sound came again, it was so close now that his ears were ringing. Jack pulled on Kate's foot as hard as he could. She screamed as it finally came out. He quickly looked it over, "It's sprained!" He shouted over the rain.

"We have to go!" Kate tried standing up. Jack grabbed her arm and put it around his shoulder as they both stood then slowly started running.

There was no place to hide. Jack searched every place they passed. It was still behind them, gaining on them. His heart was pounding. He didn't know what to do.  
All of a sudden Jack looked in front of them and saw the smoke monster hovering in the trees. Waiting. They both froze. The thing unexpectedly made that ear piercing sound and moved towards them rapidly. Jack threw Kate down to the ground and put his body over her. He knew it had been a stupid idea but they wouldn't have been able to out run it, it was the only thing he could think of. They were both silent as Jack held Kate close. He could feel the beast above them. He dared not look up. He didn't know what it was doing, what it wanted. It just hovered over them.

"1." Jack heard Kate say.

Kate was afraid. She wouldn't look up because she knew if she did it would make things worse. She had seen the thing before. It had been after her… _Or maybe it had been after Juliet_…? She wasn't sure. Jack was holding her tight. She could feel that he was frightened too. His heart was beating a mile a minute. _Jack is actually afraid_. She remembered his method for fear. _Count_. She told herself. _Just count_.

"1."

"2." She heard Jack say.

"3." They both spoke together. "4... 5."

Jack squeezed her to his chest. She had forgotten about the pain in her foot as he held her.

Jack finally decided to look up. He had to. It was time to face his fear. He opened his eyes and was stunned by what he saw.

**Please review... even if it's to tell me that you don't like it... I need to know...**


	5. Trouble

**Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad at least a few people are enjoying my story. Here is the next chapter.**

**Chapter 5**

**Trouble**

Kate felt Jack's body slowly lift off of her. _Is it gone_? She couldn't open her eyes to look. _What if it took Jack_! _No, I would have heard him yell_… Kate waited a few more minutes and then she opened her eyes and looked up.

The five plane crash survivors and the one o_ther_ sat waiting and waiting in the caves. It was almost dark and Jack still hadn't shown up. Desmond had told them all that had happened in the underwater hatch. Some had cried and others just sat around and didn't utter a word.

"That's it!" Sawyer rose from where he had been sitting against a cave wall and exclaimed. "I'm leaving." He pulled out the gun he had put in the back of his denims then started walking towards the path back to the beach.

"Jack will be here," Juliet said.

"Well I won't be."

"Ford, just sit down. We don't know how far out he was. He could be miles from here. Who knows where that radio tower is?"

"You should know, Miss. Other." Sawyer scowled.

Juliet stared at him with those deep blue eyes, "I knew there was such a thing but I never saw it. It could be anywhere. We just need to be patient."

Sayid stood up and faced Hurley who hadn't said a word since hearing the news of Charlie's death, "Did Jack say anything about his location when you spoke to him?"

"No." Hurley shook his head.

"That's because he was probably already on the rescue boat!" Sawyer snapped.

"James, that's enough!" Juliet yelled.

"Don't call me that!"

"You need to stay here."

"You gonna try and stop me, Blondie?"

"Did you even listen to a word I said before?" Desmond suddenly got to his feet.

"Yeah, the has-been wrote on his hand "Not Perry's Boat", so what! What's that supposed to mean anyway?"

"Her name is Penny!" Desmond shouted in his Scottish accent. "Naomi lied to us! She told me that she was working for Penny and that Penny had a boat searching for me. I saw Penny on the TV screen just before Charlie shut the door and the water started pouring in. I saw Penny just before Charlie died. Naomi lied, I know it!"

"And Jack said there was no rescue," Sayid added.

"Believe what ya'll want. I'm going to get rescued with or without you," Sawyer said.

"Sawyer… Don't leave!" Jin spoke up.

Sawyer waved him off as he disappeared behind the trees.

"Just let him go. He doesn't care about anyone but himself."

"Stupid, selfish hick, " Hurley said and then went back to staring at the wall he had been staring at for two and a half hours.

Kate opened her eyes and looked up to see Jack standing there in a daze. The "monster" was nowhere to be seen and the rain had stopped once again. A tear fell from Jack's eye.

_What happened_?

Kate's attention suddenly went to her ankle. _It doesn't hurt_! The intense pain she had felt only moments ago was completely gone, "Jack!"

Jack turned to face her immediately.

"My ankle, you said it was sprained?"

"A-as best as I could tell." He was still a bit out of it.

"It doesn't hurt anymore."

Jack knelt down and took her foot in his hands, "Move it to the right." Kate moved her foot to the right. "Anything?" He looked at her.

"Nothing."

"How about the left?" Kate moved it to the left.

"It feels fine. It's like I had never even hurt it at all."

Jack put his hand out when Kate started to stand, "Let me help you up."

"Jack, there is no sprain. I feel fine." Kate took his hand anyway and they stood together. She didn't let go of him as she searched his tear dried eyes. He kept looking anywhere but at her. "What happened?" She asked.

"I guessed wrong about your ankle."

"No, what happened to that thing?"

"It left." He avoided her eyes again.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing… I looked at it and then it just… Left."

He wasn't telling her something, Kate could feel it.

Jack let go of her hands, "Now that your ankle is okay, we should get moving again. Hopefully we will make it there before it gets too dark." He adjusted the pack on his back and started walking.

"Jack, wait." Kate looked in every direction then settled her eyes on what she was sure was the right way to go, "This way." She pointed the opposite way he was headed.

"No." Jack kept moving his way.

"I'm sure it's this way, Jack, since when do you know where to go?"

"Trust me, it's this way." He kept moving.

Kate stood her ground. _What has gotten into him_? She tried to protest again, "Jack…"

"Kate, damnit! Will you just listen to me for once?" Jack snapped.

Kate didn't know what to say. She was taken aback from Jack's unexpected outburst. She looked at him, wanting to shout something back, anything, but she couldn't. _He's right… I never do listen to him_.

Jack hadn't meant to snap at her. It had just happened. He watched as she stood there, silent. _Say something_… He couldn't explain to her what he knew and how he knew. _She would think I'm crazy_.

Kate started walking towards him. _Oh great… Here it comes, another fight_. She came closer and closer. Jack was caught completely off guard when Kate looked at him and walked right past him in the direction he had said was the right way.

"You better be right about this," was all she said as Jack walked up beside her.

"There it is!" Stenson shouted as he pointed to the beach covered with what looked like tents through the dim night.

"Perfect." Cooper grinned as the small boat filled with twelve men steered towards it.

"Do you really think it's a trap?" Stenson asked.

"Could be." Cooper turned towards the rest of the men on board and addressed them, "When we get there, be ready for anything. It will be dark and they could have the advantage."

"What if it really isn't the Hostiles though?" Paiten asked. "What if that beach and those tents really do belong to the survivors of a plane crash?"

"I highly doubt it."

"But what if, sir?"

"We'll see when we get there, boy."

Sawyer stopped to rest. It was almost pitch black now as he pulled a water bottle out from his bag. He shook it and then cursed, "Son of a…" He had forgotten to fill it before he left. Only a few sips remained. He chugged the last bit down and then tossed the bottle to the side. _I'll be drinking Champaign soon enough anyway_. He stood up and stared walking again. _Almost there_.

He couldn't stop thinking about how great it would be to finally get back to the real world. Away from polar bears, jungle monsters, and crazy island inhabitants who enjoyed torturing you. He stopped suddenly when he thought about what he would be leaving behind… Kate.

_Could I just leave her like that? The only woman I've ever really loved? Would it be that simple_? Sawyer thought of maybe turning back. _Kate could be with Jack if he really does show up… Or she could be snuggling up to him this very moment on the rescue boat… She always did feel something for Jack._ No matter how hard he tried to think that she loved _only_ him, that she even loved him at all, Sawyer knew Kate would choose the doctor. _Who wouldn't choose a doctor over a stinkin con artist_? Sawyer decided it was time to move on. He had no choice. _It's time to forget about Freckles_… Sawyer frowned and kept walking forward through the darkness.

"Jack, it's getting pretty dark, we should make a torch," Kate said.

"It'll slow us down. We need to keep moving." Jake waved her suggestion off.

"And not being able to see where we're going will slow us down even more."

"I know where we're going. We have to hurry. We don't have much time before…" Jack caught himself in mid sentence and closed his mouth.

"Before what?" Kate had heard him.

"It's nothing."

"Jack?" Kate stepped in front of him and looked into his eyes.

"Let's hurry and make a torch." He started to move but she grabbed his arm.

"Jack, what really happened back there? What did that thing do to you?"

He avoided her gaze as he said, "Nothing… It's nothing you would understand."

"Tell me the truth," she squeezed his arm. "What is going on?"

"Tell me what you were chasing; what made you break down so hard earlier?"

She let go of him and turned away, "I saw… a horse."

"A horse?"

"It's like it's following me or something..."

"How do you know this?"

"I've seen it before. Three times off the island and one time on."

"Off the island? You mean before the crash?"

She nodded.

"How do you know it's the same one?"

"I just do."

"I saw my dead father here."

"Jack, is that what it showed you?"

"No."

"Tell me what you saw back there." She pleaded with her eyes.

Jack turned and ran his hand through his short cropped hair and let out a sigh, "When I stood up and opened my eyes… I saw things from my life, from my past."

"Like what?'

"Moments in my life that I will never forget: my first fight, my first kiss, my first surgery, my marriage, the divorce, my father's face when I got him fired… Things like that. They were all like flashes before my eyes, moving through that thing's body. They went so fast but to me it seemed like an eternity," he looked around and paused for a minute. "Then it went to the crash. It felt like it was happening all over again… The smells, the sounds, the motions… The fear. And then it went back to showing moments again, but they were ones after the crash this time: when I met you, when you kissed me, when they shot you, when I thought I would never see you again, then when I did finally see you again… And when I saw you and…"

"Jack…" Kate tried to stop him from saying it.

Tears swelled in Jack's eyes, "When I saw you and Sawyer together," he avoided her eyes again. "I also saw when I was forced to the surgery on Ben and I told you to leave with him and to never return for me… Then when you came back anyway…"

"Jack, I…"

"I saw something else too."

"It doesn't matter anymore."

"Yes, Kate, it does. Something is going to happen to him."

"To who?"

"To Sawyer."

Kate gasped, "What do you mean?"

"I can't explain how I know this. I just do. That's why we need to hurry."

"Jack, what is going to happen to him?"

"I don't really know. All I know is that Sawyer is in trouble if we don't move fast."

Sawyer was about to emerge onto the beach when he heard voices.

"Check all the tents. They could be anywhere."

"What do you think happened here?"

"I don't know."

"Sir, I found something!"

Sawyer stopped and ducked down behind the trees when he saw people walking around.

Cooper and Stenson had been surveying the beach, along with the other men. It looked like there had been some kind of explosions set off in a couple of areas and there was a dharma van sitting in the middle of the sand with blood on the front. The van brought back memories from his childhood as he stared at it.

Paiten suddenly came running towards him with an object in his hands, "Sir, its proof!"

"What are you going on about?" Cooper looked at the young man with a frown.

"I found this in one of the tents!" He held a large piece of metal with excitement in his eyes. "It must have belonged to the plane."

"It's just a hunk of metal. It doesn't prove anything."

"But it's even got colors on it like a plane, Sir. Look at a lot of the stuff around here, a lot of the tents use pieces like this."

"Coop!" One of the men shouted from in the distance. "You have to see this!"

"What is it?" Cooper called.

"We've found bodies!"

"I have to go check this. Just face it, boy, they are liars." Cooper said to the young man and walked towards the shouts with Stenson at his side.

Sawyer wasn't sure if he should just go and introduce himself or stay in hiding until he was sure they were rescuers. _They've got to be the rescue!_ _They were talking about the plane… _He couldn't make out every word they said but he knew they had to be the rescue and that they were looking for them.

_Time to go back to civilization_. Sawyer smiled and stepped out from behind the trees, "Hey, ya'll here to rescue me?" He shouted.

"Stop right there!" A man with a trim cut beard turned to face him and pulled out a gun. "Cooper!"

Cooper heard some shouts. He took one more glance at the seven dead bodies, some burnt and some bloodied, piled inside one of the tents. _Who were these people? Were they hostiles or were they really plane crash survivors?_

"Cooper!" Someone shouted again.

_What is it now?_ He got up and hurried towards the shouts and saw Wesley Grimond pointing his gun at a dirty and exhausted looking blonde man.

"Lower the gun, Billy the Kid, I mean no harm." The blonde man said in a southern accent.

"Who are you?" Cooper asked as he shone his flashlight at the man.

"Are you the rescue?" the man asked.

"Rescue?"

"Yeah, the rescue! You deaf, Hoss?"

"Sir, I think he could be one of those plane…" Paiten started to say but he was cut off.

"Shut up, Paiten!" Cooper demanded and turned his attention back to the stranger,

"Tell me who you are."

"Are you Naomi's people here to rescue me or not?"

All the men had come now and surrounded them. They all looked at each other in confusion.

"How do you know Naomi?"

"So you are her people then?"

"Just answer my questions or we'll shoot." cooper was becoming extremely irritated.

"My name is Sawy- uh… James Ford." The man hesitated.

"And how do you know Naomi?"

"She crashed here or something and was trying to help us get rescued off this dang island."

"Who are us?"

"The plane crash survivors! You probably picked up the rest of em' already!"

"Oceanic flight 815?" Paiten asked.

"Yeah. Are you the rescue or not?"

Cooper wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't fully convinced just yet, "How many of you survived this crash?"

"About forty something… The number's changed a lot due to people dying and stuff. Look, I've answered your questions so how abouts you tell your gun happy friend here to lower stop aiming his trigger at me?"

"Stenson," Cooper said, ignoring the southern man, "go fetch the radio and get a hold of Lukas."

Sawyer suddenly got a bad feeling in his gut. _Where have I heard that name before?_ He looked at all the men surrounding him and wondered why rescuers would carry guns. _Do I still have mine?_ He reached behind his back and slowly felt under his shirt. His gun was still there.

"Hey! Get your hands where I can see them!" The man who had the gun still aimed at him ordered.

"Who are you people?" Sawyer asked as he got a grip on the gun.

"Never mind that! Let me see your hands!"

"Calm down, Wesley. I think they really are the survivors." The young man with blonde hair parted over his right eye said.

"Yeah, Wesley." Sawyer smirked.

"Shut up and do as I say!" Wesley yelled and stepped a few inches closer with the gun still pointed at Sawyer's chest.

Jack and Kate ran through the dark. They were almost there, Jack could feel it. He could hardly see where they were going but he didn't need to. They had to hurry. Kate was right behind him running just as fast.

"Jack, how do you know we're going the right way? I can't see a thing." Kate gasped through breaths.  
Jack reached behind and took Kate's hand in his, "Just stay close."

"We should go after him!" Hurley shouted. "Sawyer could be in trouble!"

"Jiufioufjf, Sawyer!" Jin added in Korean.

"No, Jack said to stay here!" Sayid argued.

"Jack also said Live Together Die Alone!"

"Sawyer doesn't even care about you, why should you care about him?" Juliet asked.

"I just don't want anyone else dying! I'm sick of losing friends on this island!" Hurley exclaimed.

No one said anything. They were all quiet in the dark caves as the water from the waterfall fell.

"Sawyer!" They all turned at the sound of Jack's voice.

"Jack?" Juliet called.

Jack appeared out of the darkness with Kate at his side. They were both covered in mud, cut up, and looking worn out. Juliet noticed they were holding hands and a tinge of jealousy swelled up inside of her. _What happened between the two of them out there?_  
Juliet quickly ran up to Jack and embraced him in a huge hug, forcing the linked hands to separate. He hugged her back, but not in the way she had hoped he would. He hurriedly let go and moved to address the others all crowding around.

"Where is everyone?" Hurley asked.

"Where is Sawyer?" Jack seemed to avoid Hurley's question.

"He left."

"Left? Where did he go?" Kate asked in a rush.

"He took off back to the beach. He didn't believe your story and stormed off thinking he would be rescued there," Sayid explained.

"What happened, Jack?" Juliet asked.

"We need to go now!" Jack shouted and headed for the path that led to the beach.

"Jack, where is Rose?" Bernard asked, grabbing a hold of Jack's arm.

"Sun?" Jin added.

"Look, I'll explain everything later but right now we need to get to that beach. Sawyer is in danger."

Lukas listened as Cooper explained what they had discovered at the beach, "And there's something else, Sir." He said over the radio.

"What?" Lukas listened.

"We found someone. He says he's from the plane as well. His name is James Ford."

Lukas gestured towards Marcus and Marcus hurried over to him, "Yes?" He asked.

"Bring me Claire. I need to ask her something."

Marcus nodded and went to fetch the small woman and her baby.

"Lukas?" Cooper asked.

"I'm still here, just hold on a sec."

Marcus was back and with the beautiful Australian woman right by his side wearing a frown upon her face.

"Hello, Claire." Lukas smiled.

"What do you want?" She snapped.

"No need to be sassy, I need to ask you something, Darling."

"What is it?" She asked as she cradled the sleeping baby boy in her arms.

"Does the name James Ford sound familiar?"

Claire thought for a moment and then looked up at him, "No."

"He wasn't from your supposed plane?"

"I don't think so… Why?"

"You can go now, Darling. Thank you."

"I am not your Darling!" Claire scowled as Marcus led her and her child back to the other people.

Lukas lifted the radio back to his mouth, "Kill him." He said to Cooper and then turned it off with a grin.

**Ok, I hope you liked it... And I know Sawyer is kind of annoying in this chapter but I actually really love Sawyer's character, so don't think I don't like him or anything... I just thought that he would probably do something like this... It seemed like a Sawyer thing...**

**Tomorrow's my birthday, so please make me even more happy by leaving great reviews... You Rock!**


	6. Trust

**Sorry for taking so long... Thanks to the people who are still reading and reviewing. If you really want me to continue just let me know... **

**Chapter 6**

**Trust**

Jack led the way through the dark jungle with Kate right behind him and following behind were: Sayid, Juliet, Desmond, Jin, Bernard, and Hurley. They all ran hard, being guided by the torch that Sayid had given Jack before he had taken off.

"Get your guns ready!" Jack called.

Sayid ran up beside him and grabbed Jack by the arm, pulling him to a halt, "Jack, before you even think of moving on I want to know what exactly is going on?"

Jack looked at him with a furious expression, "There is no time right now!"

"You are leading us through the jungle during the night telling us to make sure our guns are ready. I want to know why?"

"Sayid, we need to hurry!" Kate said from behind them.

"Hurry for what?" Sayid shouted.

"Sawyer is in trouble! He could already be dead for all I know but we need to get to that beach immediately!" Jack yelled and pulled away from Sayid's grip. "You cannot stop me from trying to save a fellow survivor, Sayid."

"I want to know why we need these guns and who Sawyer is in trouble from?"

"I don't know who they are, but I know they are dangerous."

"Sayid, we need to go." Kate pleaded.

Sayid eyed them both and hesitated before stepping aside, "Then let's go."

Jack and Kate sprinted past him back into a run.

They finally arrived at the beach and saw through the tress that Sawyer was being held at gun point and there were men surrounding him. Jack looked beyond them and could just make out a boat in the ocean. A man was walking towards the gathering of men and their captive.

"Let's go." Jack said with the gun he had taken from Lukas in his hand.

"Jack, wait!" Sayid grabbed his arm before Jack could leave. "Let's see what happens first. We can't just run in there with our guns blazing."

"They have Sawyer at gun point!" Jack whispered harshly.

"Just wait."

They all huddled together and watched as the man came closer and stopped.

"What did he say?" The man pointing the gun at Sawyer asked him.

"I am going to ask you one more time, Mr. Ford, who are you really?" The man asked Sawyer.

"Well I know _you_ sure ain't the rescue. That's for sure." Sawyer answered.

"Cooper, what did Lukas say we do with this hick?" The man with the gun asked again.

_Lukas!_ Rage started to build up in Jack as he heard that name.

"Fine, Mr. Ford, you don't want to tell me…" The man named Cooper said. "Wesley, kill him."

At those words Sawyer suddenly pulled a gun out from behind him and before the man named Wesley could shoot, Sawyer put a bullet through the man's shoulder making him drop his gun and fall to the ground in pain.

All the other men stood around in shock as Jack, Kate, Sayid, Desmond, Juliet, Jin and Bernard jumped out from behind the trees each holding a gun they had stolen from the others.

"The Hostiles!" One of the men shouted as they all whipped out their guns as well.

Sawyer also looked at them in shock as he still stood there with his gun extended, "Doc, you actually came?" He looked at Jack.

"Sawyer, look out!" Jack shouted as a man from behind Sawyer was about to shoot him. Jack pulled the trigger and the man went down instantly.

Sayid smacked the butt of his gun over the head of another man who tried to attack him, and they all stood around with guns aimed.

Jack walked over to the man named Cooper, as he had heard him be called, and aimed his gun at the man. "I want to speak to Lukas!"

"Whoa!" The man held up his hands in surrender. "Who are you?"

"And tell your men to drop their guns!" The man hesitated and Jack pointed the gun right at his head, "Now!"

"Drop the guns!" Cooper ordered to all the men. They looked at him and saw the gun being pointed to his head then got the hint and dropped their guns.

"Now, get a hold of Lukas, I want to speak to him!" Jack commanded.

"How do you know Lukas?"

"Call him!"

Lukas heard the radio beep and grabbed it from his pocket. He pressed the button and put it to his mouth, "Cooper, did you do it?" He asked.

"Cooper is unavailable at the moment." A familiar voice that wasn't Cooper's came over the other end.

"What do you mean? Who is this?"

"How's your face, Lukas?"

Lukas felt his cut lip and the black eye he had received from the hostile who had escaped with that woman into the jungle. His face turned red with anger as he realized who it was he was talking to, "It's you! How did you get that radio? Where is Cooper?"

"Cooper is busy staring into the barrel of the gun I have pointed to his face right now."

"What are you talking about?" Lukas tried to get Marcus' attention as he knelt to the ground making a fire.

"You ordered Cooper and his men to kill one of my people."

"_Your_ people said they did not know a James Ford."

"Who is James Ford?"

"That man over there said his name is James Ford!" Lukas heard Cooper shout over the radio.

Marcus finally looked over and immediately got up and headed over to him.

"Jack," Kate shouted. He looked at her as she spoke with a gun pointing to one of the men's heads, "Sawyer's name is really James Ford!"

"What?" Jack asked.

"I thought they were rescue, so I told them my real name." Sawyer shouted also.

"You hear that, Lukas?" Jack turned his attention back to the radio.

"Well that's his fault then. That still doesn't change anything about you and your people killing mine."

"We haven't killed any of your people."

"Stop lying! Will you just admit already that you are the hostiles?!"

"I am not lying. How many times do we have to tell you? We are not who you think we are. We are the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815, we crashed here on September 22, and all we want is to go home! Now let my people go!"

"What are you Moses now? Until I see some proof, Jack, that you and your people are survivors of a plane crash, you and your people are not going anywhere."

"You know that I have all your men here at gun point?"

"I have more than just twelve men."

"Lukas!" Cooper yelled in rage. "You can't leave us like this!"

"Unless you can show some kind of proof-"

"I can take you to a hostile!"

"Oh really, just one?"

"He's their leader."

Lukas was silent.

"Lukas, don't trust him!" Cooper shouted.

"Shut up!" Jack shoved the man to the sand and waited for Lukas to reply.

"Let me speak to Cooper first," Lukas said.

Jack sighed then gave the radio to Cooper, "Don't try anything funny."

Lukas spoke into the radio, "Coop?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Are you actually going to trust this guy?" Cooper whispered.

"How is everyone there?"

"Wesley's got a bullet in the shoulder, Lee's got a head injury, and Tyler's got a bullet in the knee. Everyone else is fine so far."

"Get someone to take those three back to the ship and then I want you to meet us at the cliffs with Jack and his people."

"Lukas!"

"Do as I say, Cooper."

"And how do you expect us to get to the cliffs without the boat?"

"You'll have to walk. You're not that far from the cliffs anyway. It'll take about a days walk. You have the map right?"

"Yeah."

"Take it with you."

"I still don't trust them."

"And you think I do? As soon as something doesn't seem right, you call me."

"And what if I can't?"

"Then use the back up plan."

"All right."

"Put Jack back on."

Cooper handed the radio back to his captor with a scowl.

"I will meet you tomorrow. Cooper has a map to where I want to you to go." Lukas said to Jack.

"And where is that?" Jack asked.

"I am agreeing to not harm your people but if I find out that you are lying, they are all dead."

"Trust me. You won't be disappointed."

Jack lowered the radio and turned it off, "Let them go." He told the other survivors who were still holding the men at gun point.

"Jack, can I speak to you for a moment?" Kate walked up to him and asked.

"What?"

Kate grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the man named Cooper and the others, "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"Rousseau took Ben. Who knows what she's done with him by now… How do you expect to take Lukas to him? We don't even know where they are."

"I know where they are."

"How?"

"I just do."

"Jack?"

"Why don't you go make sure everyone is okay?"

"They're fine, Jack. What is going on?"

"Hey, Jack!" Cooper called. "We need to talk now!"

"I have to go, Kate. Everything is going to be fine." Jack said and then walked over towards Cooper and his men, leaving Kate standing there totally lost and confused.

Kate watched as the three injured men were boarded onto the small raft that would take them to the boat that was floating about a mile away. They used flashlights to see what they were doing. Some others had set up torches and fires along the beach as well for even more light.

"How does that guy know Lukas?"

Kate heard two men talking a few feet away from her and decided to walk over to them and have a chat.

"Is Lukas your leader?" Kate asked.

Both men turned to look at her, completely caught off guard by her approach. They were silent as they stared at her with no expression.

"Look, we're not going to hurt you and your people. All we want is to go home." Kate said calmly.

"Cooper said not to trust you and your people." A chubby guy with an Irish accent and red hair said to her.

"Is _he_ your leader?"

"Cooper is in charge of the people on the ship, but Lukas is in charge of him _and_ the people on the ship." A younger guy with blonde hair that was pulled over his right eye said.

"Paiten, don't talk to her." The Irish man advised his friend.

"So Lukas is the leader of your people?" Kate ignored the chubby man.

"No. He's just in charge of the mission." The young guy ignored his buddy too.

"What do you guys want with Ben's... uh… the other people, the real Hostiles?"

"The _real_ Hostiles?" The Irish man snorted. "How do we know that _you_ aren't the real Hostiles?"

"So you still don't believe us?"

"What's there to believe? Oh sure I believe that you are the spirits from Oceanic Flight 815. Ha. Of course you are." He laughed with sarcasm.

"Daren, just quit it. You never know... They could really be..."

"Survivors of a plane crash?" He spit to one side. "You seriously believe them, Paiten?"

"Well..."

"Paiten..." Daren gave him a warning glare not to say another word.

"What did they do to you people to make you so untrusting?" Kate asked Paiten.

"They..." Paiten began to speak but Daren interrupted him.

"It's none of your business lady! If you want to know so badly why don't you go and ask your Hostile family!" Daren barked.

"Look, you're not the only ones that have been through hell with those people, so just back off!" Kate shouted. She was becoming fed up with trying to explain herself to these men.

"Are these guys bothering you, Freckles?" Sawyer suddenly came up from behind her and stared at the two men with a scowl.

"What's it to you?" Daren snapped.

"Daren we don't want trouble." Paiten said and looked at Sawyer. "We don't want trouble, Mr. Ford. I am sorry for the way my people have been treating you and your people. You need to understand that they have been through a great deal since they were children and have major trust issues since the..."

"Paiten! Enough already!" Daren whispered with a harsh tone.

"What are ya'll fussing about?" Sawyer asked with confusion.

"Paiten!" Before he could say another word Paiten's name was called by Cooper who was standing near the raft waiting to be ported out to sea.

"You better go see him, boy. And I had nothing to do with any of this." Daren said as he walked away, taking one more nasty look at Sawyer.

"Please excuse me Mr. Ford and..."

"Kate." Kate said.

"Kate." Paiten nodded turned to leave.

"Maybe we can talk again...?" Kate said.

He kept walking and didn't say another word.

Kate glanced at Sawyer and then turned to walk away also.

"Kate." Sawyer grabbed her arm.

She pulled away from his grip but she turned around, looking down at their feet in the sand.

"You not talking to me? I was almost killed you know?" He smiled.

"But you weren't." She didn't smile.

"What's going on here?" He looked around at all the people.

Men were loading guns and talking quietly amongst each other, eyeing the survivors suspiciously; Sayid was talking to Desmond; Jin and Bernard both stood around with worried expressions over their wives; and Jack was standing with Juliet.

_Wait! Jack is standing with Juliet... _Kate watched with envy as Juliet and Jack were talking about something and Juliet was smiling that creepy smile she always had. They were laughing about something now. _What's so funny? What is he saying to her?_ Juliet suddenly put her hand on Jack's face and was inspecting his cuts.

Kate recalled the first week of the crash and how protective Jack had been with her since the start. The day she went hunting with Locke and Michael (two men she despised now) and how Jack had wanted to go with her to protect her. When she had returned he grabbed her face immediately and inspected the cut she had received when that boar had come after them. The way his hands felt on her skin... the way they held her face... It made her blush just thinking about it. She always wondered why a man who had barely known her a week would care so deeply about her?

"Hey. Are you even going to acknowledge me?" Sawyer broke through her thoughts.

She caught Jack look her way for a second and she turned her attention to Sawyer.

"So, why only you and the doc back?"

"It's a long story."

"Well I'd like to hear it."

"We escaped."

"Escaped who? That guy that Jack called?"

She nodded, "Lukas."

"And who is Lukas?"

"I don't know. He's like they're leader or something... He thinks we're The Others."

"That's ridiculous."

"I'm guessing Ben and his people did something to them in the past and now they're out for revenge."

"You sure it's revenge?"

"Hence them almost killing you."

He was silent for a moment and then he spoke again, "So what happened to you out there?"

"You know how it is in the jungle." She was referring to her mud covered clothes and scratched up face.

"No, what happened between you and Jack?"

Kate didn't know how to answer this. She didn't want to answer, "Nothing." She replied.

"Nothing?" He knew she was lying but he didn't say anything more.

"What happened between you and Juliet?" It slipped out.

"What, you jealous of the Other?" He smirked.

She rolled her eyes and looked away from him. Her attention turned to Jack again. Juliet was no where in sight now as he filled his water bottle from the water trough. Her attention suddenly went to Hurley who hadn't really said a word since they arrived. He was sitting alone along the shore line just looking out at the ocean. It wasn't like Hurley to look so melancholy.

"What's wrong with Hurley?" Kate changed the subject.

Sawyer's face fell and he looked Hurley's way with sorrow in his eyes.

"What?" Kate was really worried now.

"Haven't you noticed?"

"Noticed what?"

"Desmond's back... Alone."

The realization hit her in the gut and her eyes filled with tears, "Charlie?"

"He didn't make it."

"How did it happen?"

"Des said he drowned trying to save the rest of us."

Kate's thoughts immediately went to Claire. _She's already been through enough and now this..._

"The big guy has barely said a word since Desmond told us." Sawyer was still looking over at Hurley. "That was his best friend."

All Kate could do was cry. Sawyer tried to pull her into a hug but Kate pulled back and walked away, tears streaming down her face.

Paiten approached Cooper with caution. He had already gotten him angry by arguing about the plane crash survivors, so he knew this wouldn't be a very pleasant chat.

"Paiten, what were those people saying to you and Daren?" Cooper asked right away.

"Nothing, Sir."

"It sure seemed like something to me."

"Kate was just asking some questions."

"Kate?" He narrowed his eyes at him. "What kind of questions, Paiten?"

"Well... She wanted to know if Lukas was our leader and... About the incident."

"She knows about the incident?"

"No. She just wanted to know what the Hostiles had done to make us so angry and why we wanted them."

"What did you tell her?"

"Nothing. I knew not to say anything about it to her."

"And Daren?"

"Him neither, Sir."

"Good," he said and started looking Paiten over with a serious expression, "I want you to take the boat back to the ship with the injured."

"What?" Paiten was speechless.

"You heard me, I am not going to repeat myself, boy. It would be better if you went back to the ship."

"No." Paiten could not believe what he had just said. _Now I'm in for it._

"Excuse me?" Cooper seemed shocked as he stared at the young man also in disbelief. "I am in charge here, so you will do as I command."

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I would rather stay here and go with everyone else to the cliffs."

"Well that is not your decision, Paiten, you are going to the ship and that is an order that you better follow."

"I won't do it." Paiten did not know why but there was some reason that he felt he had to stay on the island. "Find someone else, Cooper, I am staying." Paiten bravely stated then turned his back on the man in "charge" and walked away.

"Hey, are you okay?" Jack asked Kate as she sat by the shore crying.

Kate looked up at him and tried to wipe the tears from her eyes as he sat down next to her in the soft sand.

"Hungry?" He looked at her and offered a piece of delicious looking fruit to her.

Kate took it as she tried to fight back the tears.

"Charlie's dead." She said and began to cry again.

"I know. Sayid and Desmond just told me."

Kate looked at him and noticed he had been crying too.

"I'm just so sick of people dying. I can't stand it anymore..."

They were quiet while they both stared out at the dark ocean with the moonlight shining off of it. Kate took a bite of her fruit, the sweet juices filling her mouth. She felt like she hadn't eaten in forever as she took a few more bites.

"Water?" Jack offered. He handed his water bottle to her and she gulped a few sips down.

"Thanks."

They were silent again until Kate decided to ask the question she had been wondering, "Do you really think we should trust these men? Trust Lukas?"

"No, but we have to. If we want everyone back safe and sound, we have no choice but to trust them."

"I just have a bad feeling."

"You trust _me_ don't you?" He looked at her with those eyes that made her feel weak in the knees.

"I will always trust you, Jack." She stared back, gazing into his eyes.

Jack leaned forward and so did she. Kate knew what was coming. She had waited for this moment a long time. Their heads tilted, their lips inches apart...

**Sorry to leave you hanging like that. I can't help it. I like cliffhangers. =] Please review and let me know if you want me to continue...**


	7. Secrets

**Thanks for the reviews! Sorry it took so long to update... I've been really sick and was in the hospital etc... But I'm starting to get better, so here is the next chapter. Enjoy. =]**

**Chapter 7**

**Secrets**

"You will obey my orders when I tell you to!"

Jack and Kate turned their heads to the shouts they heard coming from down the beach and both stood up. They noticed everyone heading in that direction.

"Let's go." Jack sighed and stepped into a jog with Kate right behind him.

"You get on that boat, boy, or so help me I'll..." Cooper was standing with the young man named Paiten pulled towards him by his shirt collar. He was furious as he yelled with a red face.

Everyone was standing around, watching and not doing anything to stop it.

"Hey! What's going on here?" Jack asked as he pushed through the crowd of men.

"You better stay out of this, Hostile!" Cooper snapped. "It has nothing to do with you!"

"I am staying here, Cooper. You can't make me go." Paiten said once Cooper had released him. "This island is where I belong."

"Enough of the back talk!" Cooper shoved him to the ground.

"You are not the boss of me anymore! I'd rather join _them_!" Paiten pointed towards Jack and the other survivors standing around him. He stood up and looked Cooper in the eyes as he spoke. "I am staying."

Suddenly Cooper swung his arm and his fist landed squarely on Paiten's jaw. He swung again and this time his fist hit the young man's gut. Paiten wretched over in pain and fell back to the ground.

"You are a disgrace, Paiten! You would rather choose _them _over your _own_ people!" Cooper spat then kicked him in the side and Paiten cried out in agony.

Jack had seen enough of this and rushed over, just as Cooper was about to kick him again. He grabbed Cooper and pulled him away, "Leave him alone!" He shouted.

Cooper struggled out of Jack's hold and went to punch him in the face but Jack was quicker and instead punched Cooper in the face. Kate knelt down beside Paiten to make sure he was okay just as Cooper took another blow from Jack when he tried to attack him again. This time Cooper was the one on the ground in pain.

"You idiots!" Cooper screamed at his men who were all standing around watching as blood dripped down his nostril. "Do something!"

"Do what? He's only defending Paiten." One of the men said.

"_He's_ one of _them_!" Cooper yelled.

"If he was one of them, why would he be defending one of us?" Another man stated.

"They are liars! You fools have lost your minds if you are deciding to choose _him_," he pointed at Jack, "over _me_!"

"You were the one beating up one of your own people."

"He defied me!"

"The kid doesn't want to take the boat back, so what?" A tall dark skinned man said to Cooper. "I'll take it in his place. You are being ridiculous throwing a tantrum just because you want him to go, and only because he actually has a spine to stand up for his beliefs. Those injured men need assistance now," the man looked around and pointed at a smaller man wearing glasses. "Raymond, do you want to come with me? I cannot man a boat and three hurt men on my own."

"Sure. I'd be happy to get away from here." Raymond said and headed for the boat that was still waiting to take off."

"See that, Coop? I asked Raymond if he wanted to go first instead of ordering him to. It works a lot better." The man grinned. "I'll see you around, Cooper. That is if this Jack guy hasn't finished you off first..." He looked down at Patien, "You got guts, kid, and I like 'em." He smiled, waved to the rest of the men still standing around, shocked at what they had just witnessed, and headed for the boat as well.

"Lukas will be hearing about this, Sanjos!" Cooper threatened just as the boat took off into the dark waters.

Jack took one more glance at Cooper who was still sitting in the sand with humiliation painted all over his face. He was watching with a scowl as all his men walked away, totally ignoring him. Jack almost felt pity for the man... _What happened to these people to made them so angry and bitter? _Jack wondered.

"Jack?"

Jack turned at the sound of Kate's voice. She was trying to lift the young man, Paiten, from the ground but was having difficulty. _He must really be exhausted if he can't even stand on his own two feet._ Jack hurried over and helped get him up. They both carried him to a nearby tent. As they were laying him down, Jack caught a glimpse of a massive scar over his right eye. He glanced at Kate who had seen it too but neither of them said anything about it.

"Thank you." Paiten tried to smile as he looked up at them once they go him down.

"I'll go get something for your face." Kate said and stood up. "I'll be right back." She smiled at Jack and walked out of the tent.

"She your girl?" Paiten asked through a weak voice.

Jack ignored the question, "So what was that all about?"

"He wanted me to take the boat back to the ship and I wanted to stay here, so I told him no."

"Why didn't you want to take it back?"

"I don't know... I just feel that there is a reason I should stay... And besides, Cooper only wanted me to go because I'm the only one that actually believes who you people are."

"You believe us?"

"Yes. Why would the Hostiles choose to live on a beach, in tents made out of plane parts, when they have the barracks that they stole from us during the incident?"

"Who are you and your people? Are you from Dharma?"

He nodded, "How do you know about the Dharma Initiative?"

"We found a hatch."

His eyes brightened, "You did? Where, which one?"

"Well it's gone now..."

"What? How?"

"I guess it exploded. I wasn't here when it happened."

"Where were you?"

"Busy being taken captive by your _Hostiles_ as you call them."

"Captive? So then you've met them?" He sat up on his elbows.

"Unfortunately," Jack nodded. "They have been nothing but trouble for us since we landed on this island."

"Did they say anything to you about Dharma while you were taken captive?"

"Not really that I can remember..."

"Here's a damp cloth for your face." Kate said as she entered the tent again.

Paiten's lip was swollen and he had a bloody nose. Kate dropped down on her knees and gently began to wipe the drying blood away.

"Are you going to be okay to walk tomorrow?" Kate asked.

"I'll be fine."

"Do your ribs feel broken at all from his kick?" Jack asked.

He shook his head, "Really, I'm fine."

"You can rest here tonight. We'll make sure that man doesn't harm you again." Kate assured hm.

"Paiten, what happened to the Dharma Initiative? What did they do to your people?" Jack decided to ask. This might be his only chance.

Paiten looked away and didn't say anything.

"What happened?" Jack questioned again. He was becoming impatient.

"He doesn't trust us." Kate said.

Paiten looked at them, "It's not that I don't trust you... It's just that..."

"Cooper?" Jack said.

"I'm not afraid of him."

"Lukas?" Kate guessed.

"Lukas is nothing to fear either. The real man in charge of this whole mission, the man who trained us, who raised us..."

"Who is he?"

"I can't tell you. I can't tell you anything. I've already given away so much as it is," the kid was fearful now as he looked into their eyes. "You should leave now, please. I thank you for your kindness but you really should go."

"Paiten..." Kate started.

"Go!" He snapped and pointed towards the entrance. He then looked sorry for the outburst and his eyes filled with tears. "I don't want to see you and your people hurt. You have to listen to me."

"We leave at dawn." Jack said as he got up and left the tent with Kate by his side.

"What was that all about?" Kate asked when they were a few feet away.

"I don't know."

"Jack, it's time." Jack opened his eyes to see Sayid standing in the opening of his tent all ready to go. "They're getting ready to leave now. You better hurry and get the things you will need." Sayid said to him and closed the flap, leaving Jack alone in the dim lighted tent. At least he knew the sun was rising because his tent wasn't as dark inside anymore.

Once Jack had put on his clean shirt and gotten his things together in his pack he emerged out of his tent, hopefully for the last time.

"Hey, you ready?" Kate came up beside him as Jack was walking towards the water trough to fill a couple of water bottles for the long journey ahead, again hopefully for the last time.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be. I just want to get this over with." He bent over the trough, made from wood they had cut down and used twine to hold it together with a tarp inside that would catch the rain water when it fell, and dunked a bottle in. A great idea.

"You still haven't told me how you plan on finding Ben?" Kate bent over and began to fill her bottles as well.

"Not now." Jack said as he pulled his first bottle out and tightened the lid on it then plunged the second one in to be filled.

"There's no one around." Kate whispered. "Is it because of what happened to you out there with that... thing?"

"Kate..."

"Jack," she looked at him now with a serious expression, "how do you know where Rousseau has Ben?"

He finished filling the second one and after tightening that lid as well, he put them both in his back pack that hung on his shoulder, glanced around worriedly, then looked at her, "I don't know exactly. It could be from that thing... I just keep seeing these flashes or something and I immediately know where they are... I can't explain it..."

"Hey!" Cooper suddenly shouted, cutting Jack off. "Are you and your Hostiles ready yet? It's time to go!" He was glaring at Jack through a swollen left eye.

Jack nodded at Kate and they both started walking towards everyone else. Jack looked around to make sure everyone was with them from his people and stopped when he realized one was missing.

"Sayid, where is Hurley?" Jack asked.

Sayid glanced around, "I do not know. He was here last night..."

"What's the problem?" Cooper commanded with impatience.

"One of our men is missing." Sayid said.

"Has anybody seen Hurley?" Jack asked.

"Who's Hurley?" One of Cooper's men asked.

"He's a big guy with long curly hair."

"You mean the depressed guy?" Another man asked.

"He just lost a close friend... Actually we all just lost a close friend." Jack nodded. "Have you seen him?"

"Not since last night."

"Hey, uh, doc?" Sawyer walked up to him with a guilty look upon his face.

"What?"

"I saw Hugo head off into the jungle last night while everybody was gathered around that fight. I thought he was just going to use the john or something so I let him be. Now that I think about it though, he did have his pack with him..."

"Why didn't you say anything before?" Jack snapped.

"Because like I said, I thought he was just using the toilet!" Sawyer snapped back.

"This is just great!" Jack didn't know what to do next.

"We have to go after him." Kate said.

"I say we just let him be. The guy obviously wants to be alone." Sawyer suggested.

Kate shot him a look of surprise.

"We are not leaving him behind." Jack said as he glared at Sawyer.

"Hey, we don't have time to find your overweight, depressed buddy right now. Lukas will be waiting for us. I agree with the redneck. We leave him. Now let's go." Cooper said as he started walking towards the jungle.

"I am not like you. I do not leave my people behind." Jack said and turned towards everyone. "Will you help us find our friend?"

"They absolutely will not!" Cooper objected. "Men, get moving now!" He ordered but no one moved.

"Jack, please. As much as I love that big guy, I love my wife even more. Right now we need to get Rose and all the other people that are being held against their will by that other man." Bernard said with tears in his eyes. "Hurley is only one person. There are thirty others who are waiting for us to rescue them right now... So please..."

Jack knew he was right. There were thirty other people depending on him right now and Hurley was only one, and it seemed he didn't want to be rescued anyway...

Jack sighed and looked up at all the faces staring at him, "Let's go and get our people back."

Bernard smiled and next to him Jin smiled as well. He probably hadn't understood every word that had been said but close enough because he had tears falling form his eyes as well.

"And what about Hurley?" Kate asked Jack as they began walking amongst the others.

"There's nothing we can do for him right now but pray that he will be all right."

"Can't you find him with those flash things you've been getting like with Ben?"

"I don't control them. Hopefully we'll run into him on our way."

"Poor Hurley."

"Right now our main focus is on getting the rest of our people back from Lukas."

Lukas stepped inside his helicopter and started it up. Claire sat in the seat next to him with her baby in her arms, frowning. He told her that it would be easier for her to fly with him instead of having to walk the long journey with her baby. She of course put up a fight but of course he won because he was the one in control. He also had some of his men take the elderly, the injured, and also a pregnant woman into their helicopters before taking off while the rest of his men and the people walked. _Now who says I don't have a heart?_

Lukas grinned as he started the engine. It was finally time to get away from this spot and head towards the cliffs. And there the truth would finally come out and he would be able to get his revenge on the leader of the Hostiles, JACK, once and for all.

Hurley spun around when he heard something behind him and his eyes darted back and forth scanning the trees surrounding him.

The sun was beginning its decent into the sky and he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep all night. He kept walking deeper and deeper into the jungle, not sure exactly where he was going, or even why he was doing it. He knew he just couldn't stand to be around there anymore. He was getting sick of all the violence that their lives seemed to revolve around since they crashed on the island. Fists, guns, explosions... It was tiring. He needed to be alone. He needed peace. Plus every time he stared out at that ocean he thought of Charlie and how those waters had killed his best friend.

"Who's there?" Hurley shouted, hoping it wasn't a polar bear or that "monster" thing.

"Hugo?" Hurley turned to see John Locke standing there with a piece of fruit in his hand.

"Locke?" He couldn't believe his eyes.

"What are you doing here so far out, Hugo?" Locke asked as he tossed Hurley the piece of fruit.

"I... I don't know. I just felt like it." He took the fruit and immediately bit into it. _Mmmmm. Food at Last._

"Where is everyone else?"

"They're probably headed to see that man who has the rest of our people captive right now."

"What do you mean?"

"Those people that knew Naomi... Dude, wait didn't you kill Naomi?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"The island... Well, Walt told me to."

"I see..." He didn't bother asking how a kid who didn't even live on the island anymore had told Locke to kill Naomi.

"Who has them, Hugo?"

"Who?"

"The rest of the survivors. You just said they have been taken captive and the others are on their way to rescue them."

"Oh yeah that... I guess those people Jack called think that we are the Others, or as they call them, Hostiles. Jack and Kate escaped them but they still have the rest of our people. Then last night Jack and Kate showed up and we went to rescue Sawyer at the beach and some of those people were there threatening to kill Sawyer. A fight broke out, some got hurt from their team, and Jack got them to call that guy who has our people and he told him that he would show him the real Hostile which I'm guessing is Ben." He said as he took a deep breath in and out.

"So they're going after Ben, is that right?"

"I guess." He nodded.

"And where is Ben?"

"I don't know. I think I overheard someone say that the French chick has him or something..."

"Well we better find her then."

"WE?"

"You're not coming?"

"I don't know..."

"Why are you not with Jack and the others?"

"Charlie's dead."

"Oh... I see."

"I just wanted to get away. I'm so tired of all this. I hate death."

"Well, Hugo, you can't run away from fate."

"What fate?"

"I think you should assist me on my journey."

"Why do you want to find the French chick?"

"She has the key that we need."

"You mean Ben?"

"Let's go." Locke smiled his secretive smile that meant _'I know something you don't know'_, and then turned and started walking through the trees with Hurley following reluctantly behind.

"How long is it to these cliffs anyway?" Sawyer asked as they all trudged through the jungle with Cooper leading the way.

"It's only been an hour and you're already complaining?" Cooper snapped.

"How hard is it to tell me how much longer?"

"Why don't you just quit grumbling and shut it?" Cooper gave him an icy stare.

"Excuse me?" Sawyer glared back.

"Enough!" Jack shouted at the both of them.

"You going to punch me again?" Cooper was now glaring at Jack with seething rage.

"Let's just keep moving." Sayid interrupted them all.

Cooper turned away from Jack, and Sawyer turned away from Cooper and they all kept walking again.

Kate was watching Jack as he walked and he kept putting his hand to his head like he had a terrible headache. She noticed him starting to saunter in his steps and finally walked up to him, "Jack, are you all right?"

He looked at her with weary eyes, "I... don't know. I think I've just got a headache..."

"Are you sure that thing didn't do something to your head?" She whispered as she walked close by his side.

"I'll be fine."

"Have some water at least." Kate handed him her bottle and he took a sip.

"Really, I'll be okay." He tried to assure her but she knew better. She could tell when he was lying.

Jack suddenly collapsed to the ground unconscious and was soaking in sweat.

"Jack!" Kate cried and dropped to his side.

"What happened now?" Cooper asked as all the men stopped walking and gathered around them.

"It's Jack... he just collapsed and he won't wake up." Kate said anxiously.

"Let me take a look at him." Juliet said, shoving Kate out of the way.

"How would you know what's wrong with him?" Kate snapped.

"I am the closest thing to a doctor here right now," Juliet snapped back. "Now everyone give him some room." She looked at Kate when she said this.

Everyone backed up a couple spaces as Juliet felt Jack's head and listened to his heart beat.

"This is ridiculous!" Cooper shouted. "Lukas is waiting for us! There is no time for this!"

"Lukas can wait!" Kate glared at the man. "What's wrong with him?" Kate turned her attention back to Jack and asked Juliet.

"It could be lack of sleep... And he's obviously stressed to the limit about all this... He just needs some time to..."

All of a sudden Cooper grabbed someone's water bottle and splashed it all over Jack's face. Jack shot up instantly, soaking wet and very confused, "W-what happened?"

He looked around at the many faces staring at him.

Kate bent down and looked at him, "You collapsed. Are you okay?"

"I... I'm not sure..." He looked at her and gave her a look that meant there was something he wasn't saying out loud to everyone.

"Now that he's awake, let's get moving!" Cooper ordered.

Jack started to stand but was still a little out of it. Before Kate could grab him to help him up, Juliet grabbed him and pulled him to his feet with her arms wrapped around him.

"You should take it easy, Jack." Juliet said when he had pulled away from her and started to walk.

"I'm fine."

Everybody started walking again. Kate was on one side of Jack and Juliet on the other.

**So of course Jack and Kate had to be interrupted right when they're about to kiss, you guessed right. I couldn't let it happen just yet... sorry. And it may seem that I've made Juliet into kind of a jerk in this story even though I actually really like Juliet now. Remember this was before she became trustworthy... I had to add a little jealousy between her and Kate. **

**Please Review! =D**


	8. Nobody Will Care

**Thanks for reviewing! You guys are awesome and I really appreciate you reading my story. =] Here's the next chapter. It's a little shorter than the previous ones but whatever.**

**Chapter 8**

**Nobody will Care**

After another couple of hours walking, Cooper finally told everyone to rest. They all either leaned against the trees or sat on fallen logs as they dug out their water bottles to refresh their dry throats.

"How are you feeling?" Kate asked Jack as they sat down. Sayid had called Juliet over to him about something, so Kate knew she could finally talk to him alone.

"I'm all right."

"What happened?"

Jack glanced around and then spoke in a hushed voice, "Something is going to happen..."

"Something like what?"

"I'm not exactly sure... I saw blood and I heard guns firing... You were calling my name... And I saw Ben."

"Is that it?"

"It was all so blurry. All I really remember is Ben staring at me and he said something... But I can't remember what it was that he said."

"Do you think that maybe he was right?"

"About what?"

"What if making that call had been a horrible mistake? Ben said that..."

"Forget what Ben said!" Jack snapped. "Ben's a liar! We're going to get off this island, Kate. We're going to survive this. You said you trusted me, so trust me."

Kate looked at him and didn't say anything. She wished she could believe him, she wished she could feel the optimism he was feeling... But something inside her gut was telling her that they had made a mistake... A huge mistake.

"Let's go, people. We should be there in a few hours." Cooper said as he stood up.

Kate stood with Jack. He looked at her and he knew what she was thinking,

"Don't worry. Those flashes are nothing. We will be fine." He said as they all began walking again.

_I trust you, Jack, so let's hope you're right._

"Do you even know where the French chick is?" Hurley asked as Locke kept walking through the jungle in front of him.

"Yes."

"How?"

"Before I ran into you, I had been tracking them."

"Her and Ben?"

"Rousseau, Ben, Alex, and a fourth person."

"Probably Carl."

"Who is Carl?"

"I think he's the French chick's daughter's boyfriend."

"Ok, Carl." He kept walking.

"So what did you mean back there when you said that you saw Walt?" Hurley had to ask.

"I saw Walt."

"Yeah... but how... and why?"

"Ben shot me and I was in a pit full of dead Dharma members and..."

"Whoa! Hold up! Ben shot you? Where?"

Locke turned around and Hurley noticed the blood splattered on his shirt for the first time.

"Through the missing kidney."

"And that's when you saw Walt?"

"Around that time, yes," he kept walking. "He told me that I needed to stop those people from coming here before it was too late."

"Are you sure it was Walt?"

He nodded.

"And that's why you killed Naomi?"

"But I couldn't kill Jack." He suddenly turned to face Hurley again with a serious look, "Those people cannot be trusted. They are here for one thing, Hugo, and that's to murder us all."

"And Walt told you this?"

Locke turned back around and kept walking.

"So how is finding Ben going to solve any of this?"

"You need to have faith, Hugo. You will see."

"There is no faith on this island." Hurley frowned and kept walking.

"So when exactly are we going to find this so-called leader of the Hostiles?" Cooper asked Jack as they all filled their water bottles at a stream they were crossing.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Jack said as he knelt down to dip his bottle in the flowing water. "I know where to find him but I won't be able to catch him with all these people."

"Why not?"

"Because he was taken by a woman who has lived on this island for sixteen years. It won't be very easy for seventeen people to sneak up on her."

"So what do you suggest then?"

"I'll go alone and return with him by nightfall."

"Do you think I'm an idiot, Jack? Why would I just let you leave? How do I know that this isn't some trick and you're just trying to escape?"

"Why would I leave my people?"

"I will go with you then."

"Who will lead your people?"

Cooper hesitated at that thought and sighed, "Fine, you will take two of my men with you."

"I will not try to escape..."

"No you won't because my men will be watching you."

"I will go alone." Jack stood up.

Cooper stood up also and grabbed Jack by the collar, "You will do as I say, hostile!" He let go and shoved Jack backwards.

Jack was about to attack the man when Kate came up behind him, "Jack, don't!"

He lowered his fist and glared at Cooper, "Give me two men and I'm on my way."

"Stenson! Yusad!" Cooper called with smirk.

Two men came forward ready for their orders. One was tall with jet black hair and small brown eyes and the other was a black man with dreadlocks and a hard stare.

"Go with Jack. If anything happens, radio me right away." He handed the taller man a walkie talkie and both men nodded.

Jack started to walk but Kate grabbed his arm, "Jack, wait," He turned around. "I'm coming with you." She said.

"No. Its better that you stay here. Go with Sayid and the others and make sure that everyone is all right."

"What if something happens to you?"

"I will be fine. Please, just stay with them."

"I can't let you go alone."

"Kate, you need to trust me."

"I do trust you, Jack. It's _them _that I don't trust." She gestured to the two men waiting for him.

"Tell Sayid to just keep going and not to say anything to Lukas when you get there. I will do all the talking."

"Do you really think this is going to work?"

"No... But it's worth a try."

"Be careful." Kate said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight.

"You too." Jack said as he hugged her back. The warmth of her body pressed against his made him never want to let go.

"Will you hurry it up?" Cooper snapped.

"I'll try not to damage his face too much while you're gone." Kate joked as she let go.

Jack smiled, "Don't follow me, Kate." Then he turned from her and started walking with the two men following behind.

"Where is he going?" Sawyer came up from behind Kate and asked.

"He's going to find Ben."

"And you're not going with him? You two seem inseparable since you got back."

Kate looked at him, "What do you want?"

"You and the doc together now?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Well that hug you just shared sure wasn't a 'Just Friends' hug."

"Let's keep moving people!" Cooper shouted.

Kate didn't say anything as she turned from Sawyer and began to move again.

"Hey, Kate, do you have a second?" Paiten walked up beside her.

"What's up?"

"Is Jack going to find that leader of the Hostiles?"

"Yes."

"So this guy really is real?"

"Yeah, I thought you believed us?"

"I do... about the plane crash anyway... How do I know that you guys didn't just join up with the Hostiles after your crash?"

"Trust me, we would never do that. You have no idea what those people have put us through all these months."

"Well I'm still not too sure that Lukas will change his mind..."

"I thought Lukas wasn't even the one in charge?"

"Not entirely. He is in charge of this mission though. Look, I'll tell you now... We came here to finish off the last of the hostiles... Even if you do find this leader and prove to them that you are who you say you are, I don't think Lukas will just let your people go and take you home in an instant."

"He'll have to."

"You've met Lukas right?"

She nodded.

"Then you've seen how he is. This guy won't just do anything you tell him to. He has a lot of hate inside and that hate has been building up for many years. He has waited for this day and he won't leave until every living Hostile on this island is dead."

Kate glanced at Juliet and realized that they hadn't told them who she really was. _If they found out whom Juliet really was... Jack would hate me. He trusts her and I can't say anything. I still don't trust her though... _

"Let's hope your boyfriend seriously knows what he is doing." Kate hardly heard what Paiten said as he walked away.

She darted her gaze from Juliet when Juliet had caught her staring, and she looked down at the ground. _Jack better know what he is doing!_

Jack stopped and put his weight against a tree as the images in his head kept flashing. Some were burry and he couldn't make out what they were but others were extremely clear and that made him wish they were blurry too. He suddenly saw one of Locke and Hurley walking through the jungle and Locke saying something about the French chick and Ben. _They're going after Ben too!_ He then saw Rousseau leading Ben across a cliff, his hands were still tied and his face bloody. She was saying something about the other people but he couldn't make out the whole sentence. Then he saw the way he needed to go in order to get to them...

"Hey, are you okay?"

Jack looked up once the flashes had stopped and saw the tall man named Stenson standing there with a concerned look.

"Yeah... I... uh... just needed a little rest. I'm fine now."

"Well let's keep moving then."

"You sure you know where you're going?" The other man, Yusad, asked.

"I am now." Jack said and began leading the way again.

"So what happened at your beach? Whose bodies were those in the tents?" Stenson asked as he and Yusad came up on either side of him.

"Your Hostiles thought they could do whatever they wanted with our people so we showed them that they were wrong."

"So that was their bodies in the tents and their blood on that Dharma van?"

"Yeah."

"What did you do?" Yusad asked.

"We blew them up, well at least most of them. The rest were either shot or ran over."

"What did they do to you?" Stenson asked.

"They have made our lives hell since crashing on this island. That's what they have done."

Both men said nothing as the three of them kept walking on.

_Bleep!_ Cooper stopped when he heard something. _Bleep!_ His radio was beeping as he pulled it from his pocket and turned to the people behind him, "I have to take this call. Have another break." He turned back around and pressed the on the button, "Hello?"

"Cooper?" It was Lukas.

"Yeah, it's me." He glanced back at everyone and decided to walk a few feet ahead of them just in case if one of the _maybe-hostiles _were listening.

"I'm at the cliffs now. Where are you?"

"We're about three hours away."

"Where is Jack? I'd like to speak to him."

"He's not here, Sir. He went to find the _so-called _leader of the Hostiles."

"And you let him go!" Lukas shouted.

"Stenson and Yusad are with him. I doubt they will really come back with anyone."

"Did he say where they were headed?"

"No. Should I go back and..."

"Keep moving forward."

"And what about Jack? What if there really is a hostile leader and he does bring him back?"

"The only hostile leader he'll be bringing back is his self."

"But, sir, what if, and I mean _what if_... maybe... they really are telling the truth and these people really are plane crash survivors? Would you really do as Jack requested? Would we really rescue these people and take them off the island?"

"If they really do happen to be who they say they are... We still kill them all, along with the hostiles. No one will miss them anyway. These people are already dead to the real world. Nobody will care"

"So we're just going to kill innocent people?"

"No one is innocent, Coop. If Jack returns with the leader of the hostiles and proves his story, I will still kill him and every last one of his people along with him. If word got out about this island, we'd all be dead. It has to be done."

"Should I tell the other men?"

"No! Don't say a word of this to anyone. They will find out soon enough. Just get them all here and fast. I'm losing patience. I just want to get this over with and finally get on with what our families started years ago in the Dharma Initiative!"

"Yes, Sir."

"Not a word, Cooper, or you will be killed alongside them." Lukas threatened and then the line went dead.

Cooper turned off the radio and placed it back in his pocket. He glanced around the area one last time, and satisfied that no one had heard their conversation, he walked back over towards the rest of the people with a huge grin spread across his face.

What Cooper didn't know was that someone had heard the conversation between him and Lukas and was already on his way to inform somebody else about it...

**Oooo suspense... Wonder who heard? I guess you'll find out once you review and I get a chance to update. ;] Thanks again for reading!**


	9. Gun Shots

**Hey, sorry it's been a while. Things have been crazy here and I haven't gotten the chance to update in a while. My Dad still hasn't had the surgery they keep telling him he'll have and I'm leaving to go away on a trip in a couple days as well... But anyway, thanks for the reviews! Here is the next chapter. Lots of action in this one!**

**Chapter 9**

**Gun shots**

Paiten jumped to the ground with a thud. He had climbed a tree to grab some fruit he saw when he overheard Cooper talking to Lukas about Jack and Kate's people.

_I have to tell Kate right away! _

Paiten ran to where he saw Kate standing beside a tree and stopped in front of her, "I need to talk to you!"

"Look, I'm really not in the mood to talk anymore about Lukas or Jack..."

"You need to hear this!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her away from where everyone else was standing.

"Let go of me!" Kate pulled free.

"We need to find Jack." Paiten said once he knew no one could hear them (he even scanned the trees).

"Why?" She asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

"He's in trouble, you all are in trouble."

"I already told you that Jack has a plan..."

"It won't mean anything. Lukas still plans to kill you all, even if you do prove that you're not the Hostiles. All he cares about is this island and carrying on with the Dharma Initiative."

"How do you know this?" Kate's face fell.

"I just overheard Cooper talking to Lukas on his radio. He's serious. Lukas means business. He doesn't care about you and your people."

"Let's go." Kate said and grabbed his arm as she turned towards the way they had just come from.

"We're going after Jack?"

"We're going after Jack."

Hurley watched as Locke knelt down to the ground and examined the dirt. He had no idea what he was doing but he used the time to take a sip out of his almost empty water bottle.

"There was a struggle here." Locke finally spoke. He pointed at the soil on the ground with his knife as he talked, "It looks like Ben tried to escape at one point. You see these foot prints here, they're all shuffled around."

"So where do we go now?"

"They lead off that way..." he pointed straight ahead, "but another set of tracks lead off in the other direction..."

"If you're thinking of splitting up, forget it."

"No, we'll follow these ones," he pointed his knife straight ahead.

"And what about the other set?"

"I think it's the kids, Alex and..."

"Karl."

"Karl. Yeah let's go this way." He stood up, put the knife in his back pocket and started walking again.

Hurley put his water bottle in his back pack, sighed and started walking again as well. _I should have stayed on the beach..._

"Kate, slow down!" Paiten shouted as she ran ahead of him in a mad dash.

"We have to hurry! Jack could have found them by now!" Kate shouted back.

"Are you sure you know where we're going?"

"Yes. I told you, their tracks are leading this way."

"But how do you know that it's their tracks?"

Kate stopped and looked at him, "I know ok. If you don't want to follow me then go back. I'm sure Cooper would love to hear that you were spying on him."

"I was not spying!"

"I just need to know, Paiten, are you with me or not?"

Paiten looked around, brushed the hair from his eye (revealing the scar Kate had seen earlier on him) and then he looked back up at her, the hair falling back in place over the wound and part of his right eye, "I'm with you." He sighed.

"Good." Kate said and turned around again.

"But, we need to slow down. You're going way too fast. I have a bad knee, I can't keep up."

"What's wrong with your knee?" Kate turned around to face him again.

"I... I don't want to talk about it." He said and walked past her.

"Paiten," she touched his arm, "if I am to trust anything you have told me, I need to know what happened? What has filled Lukas and the rest of your people with so much hatred towards the Others... err... the Hostiles?"

"You wouldn't understand..."

"Paiten, please."

Paiten sighed and looked up at the sky, "I... I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"The man in charge... He...he's even more cold-blooded than Lukas and Cooper put together... If I told you anything about the past... He would kill me..."

"Paiten, you've already decided to help me and my friends over your _own_ people. If he wanted to kill you, he already would have."

"You just don't understand!" Paiten suddenly shouted and stepped back from her.

"I'm trying to..."

"You have no idea what I have been through... What we have all been through! The hostiles killed my parents! They killed all of our parents and the people that we lived with! I survived, along with twenty-three other children! Then I was raised by..." he stopped talking and his face suddenly turned red. "I- I'm sorry..."

"You don't have to say anything more. I understand, at least the basics..."

"We should really get moving now."

"Yeah. Are you okay?" Kate asked, stepping forward but then feeling a little awkward and stepped back.

"I'm fine. Let's just find Jack and get this all over with."

Jack stopped walking when he heard a scream in the distance. He looked at the other two men to see if they had heard it as well and the expressions on their faces told him that they had.

"What the heck was that?" Yusad said as he and Stenson both scanned the area with guns in hand.

"We should keep going." Jack said and started walking in the direction of the scream.

"Will you wait a sec?" Stenson ordered. "We don't even know where that came from or who it is..."

"It came from this way. Let's go." Jack kept walking.

"I said to stop!" Stenson shouted.

Jack turned around and saw that Stenson now had his gun aimed at him.

"Nobody said you were in charge. Now I think I should call Cooper about..."

"There's no time! The man we are looking for is in this direction. So put the gun down and follow me!" Jack snapped.

Suddenly a gun shot boomed through the trees and all men jumped to take cover.  
Jack looked up from where he stood behind a tree and saw the other two men cowering on the ground. He realized that the shot had come from the distance as well and hadn't been directed at them.

"Let's go!" Jack said and took off into the trees.

"What was that?" Hurley asked as he stood trembling from head to toe.

"It sounded like a gun was fired." Locke said as he listened with his ears and then started walking. "This way."

"Yeah, what a great idea, let's go towards the gun shots." Hurley said sarcastically as he fearfully followed behind.

Kate kept running and running. She didn't even care anymore if Paiten was behind her or not. She had to get to Jack before she was too late.

_What if they've already got Ben? What if Jack is already on his way to the cliffs? Has Cooper noticed we're missing yet? Is everyone else going to be okay? _

Questions kept swimming through her mind like a school of fish as she ran harder and harder. _I have to find Jack. I have to find Jack. I have to..._

Kate stopped. _What was that?_ She could have sworn she heard a gun shot just then... _Oh no! Jack!_

"Kate!" Paiten suddenly came up beside her. "Did you hear that?"

"We have to hurry!"

"We are hurrying, if you haven't already noticed. My knee is killing me."

"Jack could be hurt! Let's go!"

"And _I'm _hurt right now!" Paiten complained as they both started running again in the direction of the shot.

Rain started pouring down as Jack slowly inched his way forward towards the voices he had heard. Someone was shouting. He stopped when he saw three figures in front of him. They didn't see him as he approached cautiously.

"Just let him go! I can't do this to you anymore. I am sorry." Rousseau said as she knelt down to comfort a crying Alex.

"We can't just let him go! He will go back to them and then they will all kill us!" Karl yelled with a gun in his hand. "I know he's your father, Alex, but we can't just let him go free and lead them all to us! He tried to kill me!"

"I won't let you kill him, Karl!" Alex screamed through tears.

"He can't find us! I can hide us. I know hiding places that no one else knows about." Rousseau said through her French accent.

"We need him!" Karl argued, ignoring the French woman.

All of a sudden Alex screamed and Jack realized she had seen him.

"Stop right there!" Karl said with his gun aimed at him.

"It's me... Jack." Jack said as he held up his arms in surrender. "I'm not here to hurt you."

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you and your people be on your way home already?" Karl asked, still pointing the gun at him.

"I need Ben. Where is he?"

"He's gone."

"Gone where?" Jack shouted over the rain. He didn't have time for this.

"Jack!" Stenson called from behind.

"Who's that?" Karl asked as he trained the gun towards the trees.

"Where is he?" Jack was right in his face. He didn't care about the gun pointing to his chest.

"What do you need with him? Haven't you done enough already?" Alex asked.

"I can't explain!" Jack snapped. "Just tell me which way he went!"

"Are your people in trouble?" Rousseau asked.

"Yes, please tell me where he is. He may be our only hope of getting off this island."

"Jack, you son of a..." Stenson and Yusad suddenly appeared from behind the trees and were caught off guard when they noticed the other people standing around and one with a gun aimed at Jack.

"Stay where you are!" Karl shouted and turned the gun towards them. "Drop your weapons!"

"Hold it, kid, we ain't here to do you any harm. We're with him." Stenson pointed to Jack.

"I said drop them!"

"You're a little young to be playing guns, kid; I suggest you drop that before someone gets hurt."

Unexpectedly Karl pulled the trigger and a bullet flew right past Stenson and into the forest behind him. Stenson and Yusad froze and immediately dropped their guns to the muddy ground.

"Take it easy, Karl." Jack cautioned.

"Are they really with you? I don't remember them from your camp..." Rousseau asked.

"They're part of the reason why I need to find Ben. Their people have my people held hostage. They don't believe that we are the survivors of a plane crash and they think that we are _your_ people." He said to Karl and Alex.

"These kids are Hostiles?" Yusad asked with rage suddenly in his voice.

"Hostiles?" Karl asked.

"Your people killed my family!" Yusad suddenly charged Karl and knocked him to the ground.

Alex screamed as Yusad began punching Karl in the face multiple times. Jack was about to try and break it up when there was another shot and they all watched as Yusad stumbled off the teenage boy and collapsed to his knees. That's when Jack noticed the red stain beginning to form in the middle of his chest. Before anyone could do anything, Yusad fell over, dead.

Karl lay in the mud with the gun still in his hand, shocked at what just happened. Jack didn't know what to do as Karl looked at him with terror in his eyes. The kid dropped the gun and immediately moved away from Yusad's unmoving body in fear.

"KARL!" Alex's scream suddenly overpowered the heavy rain and Jack turned to see Stenson now holding a gun to Karl's chest.

"You will pay for that, Hostile!" Stenson shouted with fury.

"Noo!" Alex cried.

"It was an accident... H-he attacked me!" Karl tried to defend himself.

"Stenson, he's just a kid. Put the gun down!" Jack tried to talk him out of it.

Stenson pointed the gun at Jack and yelled, "You shut up! I don't care! This kid just killed one of my people!" He aimed the gun back at Karl. "He deserves to die! All of you Hostiles do!"

"Please, I beg you, don't do it..." Alex pleaded through more tears.

"Nothing you pukes say can stop me!"

Just then a gun shot sounded and Alex screamed for her boyfriend's life. When Jack looked up he saw that Karl was still lying there, alive and unharmed. He turned his head to his left where Stenson had been standing and saw that Stenson was lying face down, dead on the ground.

_Who...?_

Jack saw Paiten emerge from behind him with a gun in his hands and a look of horror on his face as he stared down at the body in a frozen state.

Hurley wanted so badly to turn around and run the opposite way from here, away from Locke and his crazy ideas, away from the violence, and away from the guns... But instead he stood there as the rain poured down on them and waited for Locke to tell him why he had suddenly stopped and told him to keep quiet.

"Dude... I think I just heard another shot..." Hurley whispered with fear. It was the third shot he had heard now and he was becoming very uneasy.

"Sssh..." Locke put a finger to his lips with serious eyes.

"What are we doing? What are you waiting for?" He whispered again, ignoring Locke's orders.

"There's someone here..." Locke said in a hushed tone as he looked around with anxious but excited eyes.

"Well obviously. Who else would be shooting the guns?"

"No, there is someone _here_ now..."

All of a sudden a figure darted past them through the trees and Locke hurried off after it instantly without another word.

"Hey, wait!" Hurley called. "Don't leave me here!" He decided he had no other choice but to chase after him.

A fourth shot was fired that forced Hurley to run even faster as he tried to catch up with John Locke.

**I hope you liked it. I will try to update as soon as I get back from my trip. Please review. =)**


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